Weekly Shoutout: Chicano Frankenstein, a new novel from Daniel A. Olivas (AC54)!

*Content Warning: The short film discussed in this episode centers on sexual assault and suicide.

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Hi there,

Today I am so excited to be arts calling the cast and crew of SHAME, an awareness-driven short film!

FB https://www.facebook.com/ShameTheShortFilm | IG https://www.instagram.com/shametheshortfilm

About SHAME, a short film: After a woman is assaulted by a mutual friend, she struggles to communicate with her best friend about what happened, leading to tragic consequences. Sexual assault and suicide are not common topics spoken in households. When we try to, we often get asked the wrong questions like: "What were you thinking going out looking like that? We told you not to go out late. Why did you do that? There's nothing wrong with you. Why are you complaining? Life's hard – so what?" We are making a short film that will bring to light the shame we feel and show the sudden and abrupt nature of suicide when trauma is not dealt with.

If you are interested in having a seminar/discussion at your campus, reach out to shametheshortfilm@gmail.com

About our guests:

Ashna Sharan (Writer/Producer) is an actor-screenwriter based in Los Angeles, CA. Her credits include appearing on HBOMax's hit show, Our Flag Means Death, and on BET's show, Twenties to name a few. Her love for storytelling started when she learned how to dance on stage. During the pandemic, she also produced and wrote her own anthology quarantine web series that won several awards in film festivals and lockdown competitions all over the world. https://www.ashnasharan.com | IG @ashkash009/

Kelly Lynn Warren (Director) is an established director-writer-producer with two award winning short films, 'Manipura' and 'The Dissection of Jack and Jill', as well as a youtube web-series 'Caren with a C-Unmuted'. Originally from Belton, Missouri, Warren has a BFA in Theater / Broadcast & Film from UCM. She has also successfully co-produced two other award winning shorts and has had the pleasure to act in several films and television shows, including HBO’s “Carnivale." https://linktr.ee/kellylynnwarren1313 | IG @kellylynnwarren1313/

Sophia Cofino (Actor) has been a professional working actor in theater, musicals, commercials, voiceover and film for over 25 years. She is most passionate about immersive and devised theatre for social change projects. She regularly can be seen performing with Neo Ensemble Theatre and is an avid participant in the Hollywood Fringe Festival as both an actor, producer, and director. https://linktr.ee/sophiacofino | IG @sophiacofino

Ashna, Sophia, and Kelly: Thanks for this wonderful conversation! All the best!

Resources: https://rainn.org/about-national-sexual-assault-telephone-hotline https://www.nsvrc.org/survivors https://www.nami.org/your-journey/identity-and-cultural-dimensions/lgbtq/trauma-and-internalized-shame/

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Arts Calling is produced by Jaime Alejandro (cruzfolio.com).

HOW TO SUPPORT ARTS CALLING: PLEASE CONSIDER LEAVING A REVIEW, OR SHARING THIS EPISODE WITH A FRIEND! YOUR SUPPORT TRULY MAKES A DIFFERENCE, AND I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO LISTEN.

Much love,

j

Weekly Shoutout: New Poetry Collection from Daniel Damiano (AC5), published by Bottlecap Press!

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Hi there,

Today I am so excited to be arts calling writer/producer Amanda ReCupido! (linktr.ee/amandarecupido)

About our guest:

Amanda ReCupido is an author, book reviewer, playwright, storyteller and podcaster whose work has appeared in various humor and literary publications, as well as been recognized in several screenwriting competitions. Follow her online @amandarecupido.

All links here: linktr.ee/amandarecupido

Thanks for this wonderful conversation, Amanda! All the best!

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Arts Calling is produced by Jaime Alejandro (cruzfolio.com).

HOW TO SUPPORT ARTS CALLING: PLEASE CONSIDER LEAVING A REVIEW, OR SHARING THIS EPISODE WITH A FRIEND! YOUR SUPPORT TRULY MAKES A DIFFERENCE, AND I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO LISTEN.

Much love,

j

Weekly Shoutout: Fragile: An Anthology featuring David Scott Hay (AC114)!

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Hi there,

Today I am so excited to be arts calling author Heather Bartel! (heatherelizabethbartel.com)

About our guest:

Heather Bartel is the author of the essay collection Exit the Body (Split/Lip Press, 2024). Her writing has appeared recently in FENCE, Birdcoat Quarterly, Leavings, Grimoire, and Heavy Feather Review. She is founder and co-editor of the literary journal and community The Champagne Room.

Heather lives, writes, and dances in Columbia, Missouri

https://www.heatherelizabethbartel.com/

Thanks for this wonderful conversation, Heather! All the best!

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EXIT THE BODY, now available from Split/Lip Press!

https://www.splitlippress.com/exit-the-body

In Exit the Body, Heather Bartel makes an offering-as-essay-collection, if a collection of essays can include a tarot reading, a one-act starring dead and dreamed women, conversations with Sylvia Plath through a mirror, and letters to a living ghost.

Like journeying through the hallways of a haunted house, Bartel moves through a narrative landscape that shape-shifts, engaging in conversation with the women who haunt her to ask the question at the core of Exit the Body: what to do with an obsession with the mirror when the person in the mirror is either the only person you can trust or the one who is trying to kill you.

A dance with illusion and choice, Exit the Body is a meditation on the mind and its place within the body: what escapes, what ruptures, what is created, what echoes, and where we find ourselves on the other side.

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Arts Calling is produced by Jaime Alejandro (cruzfolio.com).

HOW TO SUPPORT ARTS CALLING: PLEASE CONSIDER LEAVING A REVIEW, OR SHARING THIS EPISODE WITH A FRIEND! YOUR SUPPORT TRULY MAKES A DIFFERENCE, AND I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO LISTEN.

Much love,

j