Reel Lives Podcast

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...

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 siste...

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,...

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 interve...

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-obses...

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’...