Sebastián Lasaosa Rogers, 35
Sebastián Lasaosa Rogers, 35, died while surfing off Rockaway Beach in Queens, New York, on Saturday, April 12, 2025. Born in New York City in 1990, he spent his first four years in Mexico City and moved to Acton in 1994 with his parents, Paul and Rosa, and his little sister Elena. He graduated from Acton-Carlisle High School and spent a gap year teaching in Tanzania. He earned his bachelor’s degree in anthropology and film, graduating magna cum laude from Vanderbilt University in 2012. His film career launched at Vanderbilt when he was asked by Ken Burns and Florentine Films to be an intern on the documentary “Country Music.”
His other passion was social activism. He protested against water bottles on campus, endowments invested in South African land deals, war, Wall Street, and many other issues. He worked tirelessly for workers’ rights, helping Latin American laborers negotiate with small contractors around Nashville to receive their weekly paychecks and Vanderbilt service staff to become full-time employees. He also volunteered on mobile food trucks bringing fresh vegetables and other provisions to food deserts within Nashville.
Sebastián moved to Brooklyn in 2015 continuing his career in film as a freelancer. His work can be seen online at Vimeo, Art21, PBS, and on his website sebastianlr.com. He was the cinematographer on the film “The Art of Making It,” which screened at various film festivals and won the audience award at the SXSW Film Festival in 2022.
His latest project “Freeing Juanita” premiered at the Mexico City Film Festival in October 2024, and will have its U.S. West Coast premiere on May 20 at the Seattle Film Festival. It will also screen at the New Jersey International Film Festival on June 1, both in person and virtually.
Sebastián leaves behind his family, Paul, Rosa, and Elena; his aunts, Helene and Caroline; his partner Caitlin; Elena’s partner Dalton; and many cousins in Acton and around the United States, Canada, and Spain. He also leaves behind an enormous group of friends and colleagues across the world in film, social activism, surfing, and life. His joyful spirit, dedication, and interest in everything he did and everyone he met were endless. A recurring phrase that occurs from the many tributes that have come in is, “He was the best of us.”
A memorial service in Acton will be held at 11 a.m. on May 10 in the sanctuary of First Parish. We’re sure Sebastián would appreciate donations to your favorite causes.
