Each week, we discuss social justice through the lens of pop culture, taking you on a journey to places and times you never knew were connected. Give your ears a treat, and your eyes a new perspective. Warning: All discussions can contain spoilers for featured content.
Send us a textAriel sits down with noted horror author Paul Tremblay to discuss his contributions to First Word on Horror, a new 15-part documentary about horror fiction featuring interviews with five major current writers of the genre, now live on Substack. You can subscribe to First Word On Horror at the Etch Studio Substack Page.Support the show
Send us a textAriel sits down with horror author Stephen Graham Jones to discuss his participation in the new documentary series, First Word on Horror.Support the show
Send us a textAriel sits down with Kelsey Egan to discuss her latest film, a brilliant sci-fi thriller called The Fix, set in a dystopian future where breathing is not a given.Support the show
Send us a textAriel speaks with Matt O'Neill, one of the directors of the HBO/MAX documentary SURVEILLED, following Ronan Farrow's quest to find out how governments are using spy technology against their own citizens for political gain.Support the show
Send us a textIn this conversation, Ariel speaks with Jayro Bustamante, the director of RITA, now streaming on SHUDDER, and which was just named Guatemala's entry into the Academy Awards. The film creates fantasia from gritty reality, calling to mind films like Pan's Labyrinth and The Devil's Backbone, while also raising awareness about systems of abuse.Support the show
Send us a textAriel sits down with Amy Nicholson to discuss her award-winning documentary that chronicles the final days of a working-class summer colony in a scrappy trailer park that just happens to hold the secret to a rich life. The film will release on iTunes and major platforms on September 10th.Support the Show.
Ariel sits down with filmmaker Joanna Arnow to talk about her feature debut, an off-beat look at love and relationships in the modern world.Support the Show.
Ariel sits down with filmmaker Kenichi Ugana and cast members from his breakout hit at Fantastic Fest, Visitors, a blood-soaked but heartwarming tale of humans and monsters connecting through music. Support the Show.
In this episode, Ariel speaks with Paralympian athlete Nina Gorodetsky, and filmmaker Ravit Markus, about this remarkable film about motherhood, ableism, and badminton.Support the show
This week marks the 11th year of the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge, and Ariel's first year participating as a producer. Ariel speaks with Cashmere Jasmine, the writer, director, and star of Disabled AF, and Benjamin Shearn, the editor. Watch the film before you listen, here --> Disabled AFSupport the show
Ariel sits down with director Set Hernandez, to discuss his masterful debut, a feature documentary about Pedro, a blind undocumented immigrant, working to become a social worker.Support the show
Ariel sits down with multi-disciplinary filmmaker Jason Loftus to talk about Eternal Spring, a documentary and interactive immersive experience about the persecution of Chinese practitioners of Falun Gong.Support the show
Ariel sits down with directors Ng Choon Ping and Sam Freeman to talk about their queer neo-noir revenge thriller, FEMME.Support the show
Ariel sits down with filmmaker Radha Mehta, to talk about her Slamdance-winning short, DOSH.Support the show
In this special follow-up episode from A Shot in the Arm, which featured Neil deGrasse Tyson, Ariel speaks with medical professional Karyann Dorn about the realities of vaccines for the disability community. Support the show
In today's episode, Ariel sits down with Notre Dame professor & noted author, Walter Scheirer to talk about his book, A History of Fake Things on the Internet. From ancient history to hacking, the book explores all angles on fakery old & new.Support the show
Ariel sits down with Andrew Cumming, director of the new prehistoric horror, Out of Darkness.Support the show
In this episode, Ariel sits down with filmmaker Pete Ohs, whose dystopian take on the work world, Love and Work, recently premiered at Slamdance. Support the show
What was your favorite movie of 2023? In today's episode, Ariel and Rabia count down their favorite films from last year, and you just might find your next must-see!Support the show
Ariel and Rabia sit down with dynamic filmmaking duo, Toby Poser and John Adams, to talk about their delightful family horror, Where the Devil Roams.Support the show
In this episode, Ariel sits down with editor Hazel Baillie to talk about Silo, the dystopian series starring Rebecca Ferguson from Apple +.Support the show
In a special episode, recorded in March 2023 in Austin, Texas, Ariel is joined by filmmakers Kiah Amara, Addison Heimann, and Pea Woodruff - recorded live onstage at South by Southwest talking about Disability and Horror in the film and television industry. Support the show
Ariel sits down with filmmaker Lea Glob to talk about her self-reflexive documentary of life and art, Apolonia Apolonia, which has been short-listed for the Oscars.Support the show
In this episode, Ariel sits down with Suzie Davies, the production designer behind (mostly) all of the brilliant details of Emerald Fennell's Saltburn.Support the show
Ariel sits down with Dawn Mikkelson and Keri Pickett, directors of Finding Her Beat, a reclamation of taiko drumming for women and non-binary percussionists. Joining them are Megan Chao-Smith and Jennifer Weir, two of the drummers featured.Support the show
Ariel sits down with Iman Zawahry to talk about her romantic comedy, Americanish, about three Muslim women navigating love and relationships in the modern world.Support the show
Ariel sits down with director Christopher Kahunahana about his surreal and effective film, Waikiki, about the realities of life in Hawaii. WAIKIKI is now available for pre-order on VUDU / Fandango. WAIKIKI will also be available on December 5th on Apple TV, Amazon, Spectrum, Xfinity/Comcast, DirecTV, Verizon Fios, Microsoft Store, Google Play, YouTube Movies, Hoopla Digital, and Redbox On Demand.Support the show
Ariel sits down with Neil deGrasse Tyson (executive producer) & Scott Hamilton Kennedy (director) to discuss their new brilliant documentary, Shot in the Arm, that explores the "anti-vax" movement both historically and in the angry political present. Shot in the Arm plays in Los Angeles at the Laemmle Cinemas on November 17th, before expanding to other markets across North America.Support the show
Ariel sits down with filmmaker Ryan Levey to talk about his documentary on wrestling with queerness (in all the ways), premiering on FUSE TV in November.Support the show
Ariel sits down with Darlene Naponse to talk about her apocalyptic indigenous romance that premiered at Santa Barbara International Film Festival, STELLAR.Support the show
Ariel sits down with Darlene Naponse to talk about her apocalyptic indigenous romance that premiered at Santa Barbara International Film Festival, STELLAR.Support the show
Ariel sits down with Marcel van Brakel and Mark van Meeuwenoord, the creators of Symbiosis, an interactive XR experience featured at SXSW and the Portland Art Museum. Support the show
Ariel sits down with Mark Jenkin, the filmmaker behind the unusual Neon horror film, Enys Men, recently added to Hulu.Support the show
Ariel sits down with director Daniel Gonçalves to talk about his new documentary that premiered at OutFest - Acsexybility, about the intersection of sexuality and disability. Filmmaker Camila Franco Ribeiro Gomide assists with translation.Support the show
Ariel sits down with Ellie Foumbi, director of Our Father the Devil, an Independent Spirit Award nominee opening at the Quad Cinema in NYC this Friday.Support the show
Welcome back! In this first episode of Season 4, Ariel sits down with documentary director Trip Jennings to discuss the truth about wildfire, and the people trying to change our relationship with fire for the better. Support the show
Ariel sits down with director Jiabao Li, to discuss her exciting new interactive exhibit that premiered at SXSW, Once a Glacier, that explores the wonder and majesty of the sights and sounds of our rapidly disappearing ice shelf.Support the show
Ariel sits down with documentary filmmaker Bernardo Ruiz to discuss his new film, El Equipo, about the extraordinary team of Argentine students who changed the course of forensic science and international human rights.Support the show
Ariel sits down with director Agniia Galdanova to talk about her incredible documentary, Queendom, which follows Gena, an artist whose work is both art and activism on the streets of Russia.Support the show
Ariel sits down with the head of 20th Digital Studio to discuss how his business model changed after the riots in Charlottesville, Virginia, from how he considers talent to how he works as a process.Support the show
In this dual-language episode, Ariel sits down with writer/directors Lise Akoka and Romane Gueret to talk about their film that explores the ethics of filmmaking from the perspective of kids in a lower-income neighborhood cast to star in a film.Support the show
Ariel sits down with director Sophie Jarvis at SXSW to talk about her feature film that explores the conflict between food safety and industry, and agriculture and climate. The overwhelming power of nature meets human frailty in this film that both explores and empowers.Support the show
Ariel sits down with director Kaveh Nabatian to discuss his documentary about Haiti and its transformational rituals, Kite Zo A.Support the show
Ariel sits down with Oscar Harding, director of the new documentary, A Life on the Farm, all about the filmmaking hijinks of farmer Charles Carson, and his astonishing treasure trove of oddities.Support the show
Ariel sits down with writer and stand-up comedian Madeleine Stewart to talk about her new comedy documentary about perceptions of disabled people, Inspire Me.Support the show
Ariel sits down with Carmen Vincent to discuss her new film about disability education, Teacher of Patience.Support the show
Ariel sits down with filmmaker Kimi Takesue to discuss her new documentary, Onlookers, premiering at Slamdance Film Festival.Support the show
Ariel and Rabia sit down with actress Sarah Lind to discuss her work in the phenomenal new horror film on Shudder, A Wounded Fawn.Support the show
Ariel sits down with disability advocate and non-profit owner Chanda Hinton, to discuss her work in Colorado, both advocating for medical change for people with disabilities, and working to create a safe medical space for patients with disabilities. For more information about her work, visit https://chandacenter.org.Support the show
Ariel sits down with horror legend Kier-La Janisse to discuss her seminal book, House of Psychotic Women, recently re-released for its 10th Anniversary from FabPress, available here.Support the show
'Tis the season for Christmas scares, and so we have The Leech, a terrifying dose of holiday cheer with a potent message. Ariel sits down with director Eric Pennycoff and cinematographer Rommel Genciana to talk religion, politics, and other dinner table taboos.Support the show