Wednesday, October 16, 2024

Coming up 10/16 at 9:30am - UCI Alum and Director Joe Wein, talks about his latest film - 76 Days Adrift, premiering at The Newport Beach Film Festival. The gripping documentary from executive producer Ang Lee


LISTEN
to today's show
featuring Director Joe Wein

FROM EXECUTIVE PRODUCER ANG LEE, 76 DAYS ADRIFT TO PREMIERE AT THE NEWPORT BEACH FILM FESTIVAL


Newport Beach, CA – October 15, 2024—The filmmakers for 76 Days Adrift, will premiere at The Newport Beach Film Festival. The gripping documentary from executive producer Ang Lee, which immerses viewers in the harrowing survival story of Steven Callahan is directed by Joe Wein and features an evocative score by Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump. This documentary feature delves deep into one man’s incredible journey of endurance and resilience.

The film will screen on Sunday October 20 at 12pm at The Lot 3,
999 Newport Center Dr, Newport Beach, CA 92660, followed by a Q&A with director Joe Wein. It will have a second showing on Tuesday October 22 at 2:45PM at Big Newport 4, 300 Newport Center Drive
Newport Beach, CA 92660. It will next premiere at the Naples International Film Festival on Friday October 25, Saturday October 26 and Sunday October 27 followed by DOC NYC in New York on Wednesday November 20 and Thursday November 21.

Based on Callahan's New York Times bestselling memoir Adrift: 76 Days Lost at Sea, the documentary recounts his terrifying experience after a collision with a whale left his boat sinking in the middle of the Atlantic on February 4, 1982. Alone on a life raft with only a basic emergency kit, Steven spent 76 days at the mercy of the vast ocean, battling not only the elements but also his inner fears and limits.

76 Days Adrift is more than a survival story; it’s an exploration of the unbreakable human spirit and the profound bond between humanity and nature. With raw, emotional storytelling and stunning cinematography, the film invites audiences to witness an extraordinary tale of courage, adaptation, and sheer willpower.

The Newport Beach Film Festival provides an ideal backdrop for the premiere of this compelling documentary, which is expected to captivate audiences with its breathtaking visuals and poignant narrative.


# # #


ABOUT JOE WEIN


Director Joe Wein, known for his work in music videos and commercials, brings his storytelling prowess to documentary filmmaking. His previous success includes the acclaimed short film "Goldfish," recognized at prestigious festivals and distributed by Shorts International. As a screenwriter, Joe has earned a place in Variety Magazine's "Top Ten Screenwriters to Watch."

Both director Joe Wein and Steven Callahan will engage in a Q&A session following the premiere screening, providing unique insights into the filmmaking process and the incredible survival story.

The musical score for the documentary is produced by Patrick Stump, the lead vocalist of Fall Out Boy. Stump's original score, along with his exclusive cover of Iggy Pop's "The Passenger," adds another layer to the film's immersive experience.

For more information, please visit https://76days.net.

Coming up Wednesday 9:00am on KUCI 88.9fm - LEARNING TO BE NAKED, a groundbreaking documentary premiering at the 20th Annual LA Femme International Film Festival. Janeane will be in conversation with Director Susan Wolf, and featured burlesque performer Mx Pucks



Janeane speaks with Director Susan Wolf, and featured burlesque performer
Mx Pucks on KUCI 88.9fm. Miss the show? Click the listen link below for the podcast.

LISTEN
to today's show
featuring Director Susan Wolf and burlesque performer Mx Pucks.


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


DIRECTOR SUSAN WOLF’S GROUNDBREAKING DOCUMENTARY

“LEARNING TO BE NAKED” WILL MAKE L.A. PREMIERE

AT THE 20th LA FEMME INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, OCT. 24-27, 2024



“Like a caterpillar metamorphosing inside a chrysalis, burlesque provides a safe space for many performers to transform, spread their wings and land on stage feeling more confident, beautiful and free.”


LOS ANGELES, October 5, 2024 --:“LEARNING TO BE NAKED”, a powerful and heartrending documentary of transformation and healing through the art of burlesque will screen Oct. 27 as part of the 20th LA FEMME INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL {LAFIFF} at the Regal Theaters at L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles, October 24-27.


Produced and directed by Susan Wolf and Machiel Amorison and written by Wolf, the film was edited by Max Vonk, and features burlesque performers Dita Von Teese, Analyn Brook (Eileen Wright), Kia Puckett (Mx. Pucks A’Plenty), Annick Donckers (Loulou La Belle), Anna Paladino (Viola Panik), and Anna Smith Higgs.


“LEARNING TO BE NAKED” seeks to dispel stereotypes about what kinds of bodies deserve to be seen and celebrated. The film follows five extraordinary and unconventional performers as burlesque strips away their shame, gently peels off their insecurities and slowly undresses their pain, including an amputee/breast cancer survivor who proudly performs with her prosthesis and does not hide her scars; and a plus size, black, non-binary performer who is a fierce advocate for BIPOC and LGBTQ artists.


Director Wolf shares “It’s hard to imagine a more vulnerable experience than getting naked on stage–and for some it is precisely this experience that profoundly changes their lives.”


One featured performer, British Anna Smith Higgs, is disabled and a burlesque performer who knows most people do not say those words in the same sentence. Anna suffered a stroke at the age of 24, one month after giving birth to her son. She lost the use of her right arm and much of her vision. Through sheer determination Anna learned to walk again. After her stroke she was deeply depressed but through burlesque she has found “Joy, pure joy. It’s better than any drug,“ says Anna.


“I wanted to change the way people think about the disabled,” she declares. “ I want as many people as possible to see my act because it raises awareness that strokes don't just happen to older people.”


“LEARNING TO BE NAKED” will screen Sun, Oct 27th, at 2:00 PM in Auditorium 12 at the Regal Cinemas at LA Live, 1000 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, 90015


Susan Wolf , Eileen Wright and Mx. Pucks A’Plenty are available for interviews. Contact Deborah Gilels at L.A. Media Consultants to arrange a meeting at ddgilels@prodigy.net or 818-648-9513.


For more information, here’s the link to website: https://www.learningtobenaked.com
Link to trailer: TRAILER: LEARNING TO BE NAKED



Wednesday, October 9, 2024

During Mental Illness Awareness Week from October 6 – 12 and World Mental Health Day on October 10, NAMI is highlighting our workplace mental health. Learn about NAMI StigmaFree, download key resources, and share on your social media.





About Mental Illness Awareness Week

Everyone is impacted by mental health conditions – including the friends, family, and coworkers who don’t live with a mental health condition themselves. One in five adults in the U.S. experiences a mental health condition each year, which impacts those who know and love them.

Since 1990, Americans have celebrated the first full week of October as Mental Illness Awareness Week after the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) lobbied Congress to create this critical awareness event. This year, Mental Illness Awareness Week is October 6 – 12 and World Mental Health Day is October 10.


NAMI believes that mental health conditions are important to discuss all year, and we are thrilled to participate in a global conversation during this awareness week.

Personal mental health can sometimes take a backseat at work, but it’s time for us to come together to prioritize it. That’s why NAMI’s theme this #MentalIllnessAwarenessWeek and #WorldMentalHealthDay is My Mental Health at Work! Promote mental wellness in your workplace with these guides. #NAMIStigmaFree

Mental health is important in all aspects of our lives, including in professional settings. That’s why we’re putting it first this #MentalIllnessAwarenessWeek and #WorldMentalHealthDay! Let’s make our workplaces #NAMIStigmaFree. Share how you prioritize Mental Health at Work!




Learn more by visiting the NAMI website.




Coming up 10/9 at 9:00am - Roxanne Scott, PhD, a private practice licensed clinician, shares her personal healing journey after losing her late husband to Lewy Body Dementia



LISTEN
to today's show featuring
Roxanne Scott, PhD

About Roxanne Scott
  • Texas born and bred
  • Private practice licensed clinician in Irving, Texas
  • Completed Master’s and Ph.D. at Texas Woman’s University in Denton, Texas
  • Currently continuing on her personal healing, increasing her faith and compassion, while helping others heal from trauma.
  • Helping ease the journey for other LBD (Lewy Body Dementia) folks
  • Recently completed volunteer training with Lewy Body Dementia Association’s Lewy Buddy Care program
  • contact: ritscott13@att.net


What is Lewy Body Dementia?

The following information about Lewy Body Dementia comes from the Mayo Clinic website.


Overview

Lewy body dementia is the second most common type of dementia after Alzheimer's disease. Protein deposits called Lewy bodies develop in nerve cells in the brain. The protein deposits affect brain regions involved in thinking, memory and movement. This condition is also known as dementia with Lewy bodies.

Lewy body dementia causes a decline in mental abilities that gradually gets worse over time. People with Lewy body dementia might see things that aren't there. This is known as visual hallucinations. They also may have changes in alertness and attention.

People with Lewy body dementia might experience Parkinson's disease symptoms. These symptoms may include rigid muscles, slow movement, trouble walking and tremors.



Symptoms

Lewy body dementia symptoms can include:

Visual hallucinations. Seeing things that aren't there, known as hallucinations, might be one of the first symptoms of Lewy body dementia. This symptom often occurs regularly. People with Lewy body dementia might see shapes, animals or people that aren't there. Hallucinations involving sounds, smells or touch are possible.

Movement disorders. Signs of Parkinson's disease, known as parkinsonian signs, may occur. These symptoms include slowed movement, rigid muscles, tremor or a shuffling walk. This can cause the person to fall.

Poor regulation of body functions. The part of the nervous system that controls automatic functions is called the autonomic nervous system. Lewy body dementia can affect how well the autonomic nervous system controls blood pressure, heart rate, sweating and digestion. This can result in sudden drops in blood pressure upon standing, dizziness, falls, loss of bladder control and bowel issues such as constipation.

Cognitive problems. People with Lewy body dementia might have thinking problems similar to those of Alzheimer's disease. They may include confusion, poor attention, visual-spatial problems and memory loss.

Trouble with sleep. People with Lewy body dementia can have rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder. This disorder causes people to physically act out their dreams while asleep. People with REM sleep behavior disorder may punch, kick, yell or scream while sleeping.

Varying attention. Episodes of drowsiness, long periods of staring into space, long naps during the day or disorganized speech are possible.

Depression. People with Lewy body dementia might develop depression.
Apathy. Loss of motivation may occur.


Learn more by visiting the
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Wednesday, October 2, 2024

Coming up 10/2 on KUCI - PBS SoCal new documentary, The Cheech - Janeane speaks with Director Varda Bar-Kar



The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture of the Riverside Art Museum showcases the actor's collection of more than 700 pieces by Mexican-American artists. Told through perspectives of established artists and those who know him best, the film tells his journey from comedy icon to Chicano art advocate.
Watch the Trailer

Director: Varda Bar-Kar

Producers: Nic Cha Kim and Alessandra Pasquino

Production: PBS SoCal and GroundStorm Media

Editor: Edgar Sardarian




Pictured: ARTBOUND Season 15 key art featuring Cheech Marin
(Image courtesy of PBS SoCal).

pbssocal.org/artbound




LISTEN
to today's show
featuring Varda Bar-Kar


Award-winning director Varda Bar-Kar was born in England to a South African mother and a Romanian father. By age ten, she had traveled and lived on three continents. Her international upbringing gives her a global perspective, deep appreciation, and love for diverse peoples and cultures. She is an “artivist” filmmaker who focuses her creative lens on meaningful stories exploring the breadth and diversity of the human condition. She faces society’s challenges with an uplifting approach that speaks to possibility. Her expansive portfolio of award-winning projects includes Varda’s music documentary Big Voice and so many more.
Learn more about Varda's projects and impressive accolades on her
website.


Los Angeles, Calif. – September 4, 2024 – PBS SoCal, Southern California’s flagship PBS station, announced today the return of the original Emmy® award-winning arts and culture series ARTBOUND. The fifteenth season of the one-hour documentary series kicks off with a look at the creation of a world-class art museum and education center dedicated to Mexican-American artists – The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture of the Riverside Art Museum (aka “The Cheech”) featuring interviews with actor and art collector Cheech Marin. 

New episodes from the 15th season of ARTBOUND will premiere as follows (subject to change*): “The Cheech” – Fri., Oct. 4 at 8 p.m. on PBS SoCal / Wed., Oct. 9 at 9 p.m. on PBS SoCal Plus

Cheech Marin is bringing Chicano art to the mainstream art world. After amassing over 700 pieces since the mid-1980s, his efforts have led to the creation of The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture of the Riverside Art Museum, a regionally-based, nationally-focused art institution dedicated to Mexican-American artists. Told through perspectives of established artists and those who know him best, the film tells his journey from comedy icon to Chicano art advocate.


The additional four documentaries in the new season lineup include a look at the life of dancer, musician and activist Nobuko Miyamoto, the impact of Leimert Park’s Brockman Gallery on Black artists, the rise of West Coast Modernism by looking at popular “Case Study Homes” as well as the fusion of art and science at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The new season of ARTBOUND will premiere with the documentary “The Cheech” on Fri., Oct. 4 at 8 p.m. PT on PBS SoCal and Wed., Oct. 9 at 9 p.m. on PBS SoCal Plus. Following the broadcast, each of the new ARTBOUND films will stream on the free PBS app. Members of PBS SoCal will get early access to stream select documentaries with PBS Passport starting Oct. 4.



The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art and Culture





ABOUT THE FILM
Cheech Marin’s Chicano Art Collection Explored in Season Opener of 15th Season of Arts and Culture Series ARTBOUND Premiering October 4 on PBS SoCal

pbssocal.org/artbound

Select programming will also be available to stream on PBS.org and the free PBS App.

Members of PBS SoCal get extended access with PBS Passport.



On Sun., Sept. 29, PBS SoCal, Riverside’s “The Cheech” and the City of Riverside will co-host a public ARTBOUND Season Premiere Screening Event at noon followed by a panel discussion that includes iconic actor and art collector Cheech Marin, the film’s writer and director Varda Bar-Kar of GroundStorm Media and Executive Director of Riverside Art Museum Drew Oberjuerge. The screening event will take place one block away from “The Cheech” at The Box Riverside theater with a general reception following. Guests are invited to enjoy entry to The Cheech for FREE between 2-5pm following the screening. The event will offer up a sneak peek of all five episodes coming up in Season 15 of ARTBOUND just prior to the premiere screening of “ARTBOUND: The Cheech.” For more information about the screening, email communications@pbssocal.org.

Additionally, On Tues., Oct. 22 from 6-8:30pm at Downtown LA’s Central Library's Mark Taper Auditorium (630 W. 5th St.), the Los Angeles Public Library and LACMA will co-present a screening of “ARTBOUND: Black Art: A Brockman Gallery Legacy” that will showcase the iconic Leimert Park venue that was at the center of a community of Black artists in LA from 1967-1990. Co-founder of the Brockman Gallery Dale Brockman Davis, artist Charles Dickson and LACMA’s Naima Keith will participate in this panel discussion and screening event moderated by PBS SoCal’s Bonnie Boswell with welcome remarks from City Librarian John Szabo. The screening and discussion panel will also be followed by a reception in the outdoor Thorton courtyard. For more information about the screening event, email communications@pbssocal.org.

This season will also feature a series of six digital short documentaries spotlighting iconic Case Study Houses that include the Stahl House, Eames House, Triad House C, Harrison House, West House and Case Study House 1953 (#16). These shorts will dive deeper with exclusive content not covered in “ARTBOUND: Arts & Architecture: The Case Study House Program” giving viewers an opportunity to hear directly from the current homeowners as they share personal insights on the significance of these architectural masterpieces.


PBS SoCal also hosts an Events Resource Library at www.pbssocal.org/events-resource-library that features a range of original locally produced content that includes several documentary films from past seasons of ARTBOUND. This free digital hub equips organizations to host community screenings. Offering customizable invites, downloadable episodes and engaging post-screening content, the Events Resource Library fosters local storytelling, dialogue and connections. Films from this season of ARTBOUND as well as other popular, locally-produced content from PBS SoCal will become available.

ARTBOUND will be available to stream on all station-branded PBS platforms, including PBS.org and the PBS App, available on iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Samsung Smart TV, Chromecast and VIZIO.

For more information, follow us on social at @pbssocal

ARTBOUND is supported in part by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Department of Arts and Culture, the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, the Frieda Berlinski Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, Gregory Annenberg Weingarten, GRoW@Annenberg and other generous institutional funders.



ABOUT ARTBOUND

ARTBOUND is the award-winning series that captures the spirit of the arts and culture community in Southern California and beyond. The Original series explores and illuminates the cultural issues of our times, providing critical in-depth analysis of how arts and culture affect society. ARTBOUND recognizes the need for access to the arts, arts education and connecting local artists with audiences, and in fact, acts as Southern California’s largest stage. Utilizing public media as a space to find quality arts and culture programming, ARTBOUND reveals cultural touchstones that have shaped the fabric of the region’s communities and a nation whose story is indelibly linked to the arts.



ABOUT PBS SOCAL

PBS SoCal uses the power of public media for good, strengthening the civic fabric of Southern California and providing our community with an essential connection to a wider world. As a local, donor/member-supported non-profit organization, PBS SoCal manages 7 channels — including 2 primary broadcast channels, PBS SoCal and PBS SoCal Plus as well as 5 digital subchannels. With a commitment to make content available anytime and anywhere for free, PBS SoCal is reaches nearly 19M viewers in the region with programming that reflects the diversity of Southern California and showcases the full schedule of beloved and trusted PBS content spanning Education, News, Environment and Arts & Culture.  PBS SoCal programming is available to viewers over-the-air, on all key streaming platforms via the free PBS App and PBS KIDS App. PBS SoCal also sparks the sharing of ideas at in-person cultural events and community conversations as well as prepares children for kindergarten and beyond by bringing bilingual, hands-on learning experiences to the community for free.








Coming up 10/16 at 9:30am - UCI Alum and Director Joe Wein, talks about his latest film - 76 Days Adrift, premiering at The Newport Beach Film Festival. The gripping documentary from executive producer Ang Lee

LISTEN to today's show featuring Director Joe Wein FROM EXECUTIVE PRODUCER ANG LEE, 76 DAYS ADRIFT TO PREMIERE AT THE NEWPORT BEACH FIL...