Welcome to Reel Lives, where we explore the intersection of cinema and the human experience. Unlike the typical "open mic" podcasts where a few guys just sit around and talk over each other, Reel Lives focuses on a single film to uncover the personal stories behind the screen—from superfans and psychologists to the very artists who brought the story to life. Whether you’re a dedicated cinephile or passionate about the psychology of film, Reel Lives reminds us how movies shape who we are and what we believe. It’s a look at how sitting in a dark theater with a bunch of strangers can make us feel more connected to ourselves and each other... one film at a time. Hosted by filmmaker Tim Kirkman.Host/Creator: Tim KirkmanGuests: Caitlin Dixon, Brian Anderson, Allison NaullsExecutive Producer: Mary Beth GrealeyOriginal Music by: John Crooke for Space FactoryMade in association with: Transylvania UniversityReel Lives SubstackOur WebsiteFind us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads and YouTube @reallivespodcastLISTEN to Caitlin Dixon's Synopsis of LOCAL HEROThank you for listening. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe, rate, review and share with your friends.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

A nurse who played a sister to Oprah Winfrey’s Sofia and an actor/massage therapist talk about the meaning of Steven Spielberg’s 1985 interpretation of Alice Walker’s novel and the impact the film had in their lives.Set in rural Georgia during the early 1900s, THE COLOR PURPLE chronicles 40 years in the life of Celie, a young Black woman enduring severe abuse. Through letters to God and her sister Nettie, Celie navigates trauma, finds her self-worth through the love of singer Shug Avery, and achieves independence and empowerment. The film received wide acclaim and introduced the world to the talents of Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey, and stars Danny Glover, Margaret Avery, Adolph Caesar, and Rae Dawn Chong.Host/Creator: Tim KirkmanGuests: Beverly Hamilton, Shayne BrakefieldExecutive Producer: Mary Beth GrealeyOriginal Music by: John Crooke for Space FactoryMade in association with: Transylvania UniversityReel Lives SubstackFind us on Facebook and InstagramMarshville Museum of Cultural HistorySpecial ThanksKim Hargett, Lakeysha Medlin, Margaret Pigg, Sarah HorneThank you for listening. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe, rate, review and share with your friends.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Academy Award nominated writer Nancy Oliver, musician Sean Alexander Bart, and psychologist Wendy Winograd tell personal stories about the 2007 film LARS AND THE REAL GIRL. Directed by Craig Gillespie, LARS AND THE REAL GIRL is the story of a Lars (Ryan Gosling), a socially awkward introvert who develops a delusional relationship with a life-sized doll named Bianca. Rather than staging an intervention, his supportive community agrees to treat the doll as a real person to help him work through his emotional trauma. Hosted by filmmaker Tim Kirkman.Host/Creator: Tim KirkmanEpisode Guests Nancy Oliver, Wendy Winograd, Sean BartExecutive Producer Mary Beth GrealeyOriginal Music by John Crooke for Space FactoryMade in collaboration with Transylvania UniversityLINKSReel Lives SubstackFind us on Facebook and InstagramOur website: Reel Lives PodcastIf you enjoy the show, please subscribe, rate, review and share with your friends.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

A middle school drama teacher, a mother with bipolar disorder, a Minneapolis filmmaker/author, a former Jehovah’s Witness and a psychologist tell personal stories about the impact of Hal Ashby’s cult 1971 classic cult comedy, HAROLD AND MAUDE. Written by Collin Higgins and directed by Hal Ashby, HAROLD AND MAUDE explores the unconventional bond between two outsiders: Harold, a wealthy, death-obsessed young man who spends his time staging elaborate fake suicides and attending strangers' funerals and Maude (Ruth Gordon), a vibrant, eccentric 79-year-old woman who teaches him to embrace life and find joy in the world around him.Host/Creator: Tim KirkmanEpisode Guests Rachel Barbanel-Fried, John Gaspard, Timothy King, Michael LaRocca, Nicki NyneExecutive Producer Mary Beth GrealeyOriginal Music by John Crooke for Space FactoryMade in collaboration with Transylvania UniversityLINKSReel Lives SubstackBuy the Book HELD OVER by John GaspardFind us on Facebook and InstagramOur website: Reel Lives PodcastFind us on Facebook and InstagramIf you enjoy the show, please subscribe, rate, review and share with your friends.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Academy Award-nominated actor Tess Harper, novelist and poet Silas House, and script supervisor/filmmaker Anne Rapp share their stories of TENDER MERCIES, the 1983 drama written by Horton Foote and directed by Bruce Beresford. An alcoholic country music singer finds shelter, love, and a chance at redemption with a single mother and her young son. Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture, the film stars Best Actor winner Robert Duvall, Betty Buckley, and Ellen Barkin, and Tess Harper in her screen debut.Host/Creator: Tim KirkmanEpisode Guests Tess Harper, Anne Rapp, Silas HouseExecutive Producer Mary Beth GrealeyOriginal Music by John Crooke for Space FactoryMade in collaboration with Transylvania UniversityLINKSReel Lives SubstackRead works by Silas HouseAnne Rapp's documentary HORTON FOOTE: THE ROAD TO HOMEFind us on Facebook and InstagramOur website: Reel Lives PodcastIf you enjoy the show, please subscribe, rate, review and share with your friends.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Join host Tim Kirkman for Reel Lives, a podcast that explores the intersection of cinema and the human experience. Unlike the typical “open mic” podcasts where a few guys sit around and talk over each other, Reel Lives focuses on a single film to uncover the personal stories behind the screen—from superfans, scholars and psychologists to the very artists who brought the story to life. Whether you’re a dedicated cinephile or passionate about the psychology of film, Reel Lives will remind you how movies shape who we are and what we believe. It’s a look at how sitting in a dark theater with a bunch of strangers can make us feel more connected to ourselves and each other... one film at a time.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.