In this episode of Story Conversations, we speak with South African filmmakers Michael James, writer and director, and Sithabile Mkhize, Producer, about their new feature film: “God’s Work”.

Set in Durban, South Africa, it tells the story of a group of unhoused men navigating survival, poverty, hopelessness and the universal human desire to be seen before disappearing.

The film debuted at the 2025 Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) and is currently seeking festival inclusion and distribution.

Michael and Sithabile are young cinematic story tellers who know their craft and the work of masters in the art of movie making who came before them. “God’s Work” is visually beautiful, with a gorgeous score and sound design, and deeply moving performances by an ensemble cast.

It depicts a brilliantly realized narrative that doesn’t romanticize yet seeks to reveal humanity of its characters. The filmmakers hope that audiences will come away with a sense of empathy that prompts action. They hope viewers can find new resolve to live differently and not to look away from the universal and global challenge of homelessness.

It feels almost unfair to tease you with an exquisite film that you cannot yet see streaming or in theaters. But maybe we can raise our voices to urge distributors that this is a film should be seen by audiences around the world.

To find out more about “God’s Work”, and get updates on distribution, go to:

Website: https://www.godsworkthefilm.com/

Official Trailer: https://www.godsworkthefilm.com/officialtrailer

For Media Inquiries: https://www.godsworkthefilm.com/media

If you are interested in supporting the organization in Durban providing services to the poor and unhoused, in the community that inspired the film, you can explore the charitable work of the Denis Hurley Centre https://www.denishurleycentre.org/

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Our guest this episode, Emma Keaveney-Roys, chats with us about a journey to becoming an accomplished story teller, which is part of the reason she was recently named one of the UK’s 100 most impressive female entrepreneurs by Small Business Britain.

Our conversation reveals her curiosity, openness, joy, tenacity, penchant for experimentation, and willingness to put in the hard work to make space for stories. This idea of "space for stories" is not merely figurative. Emma is the co-founder of The Front Room, a not-for-profit fringe theatre venue in the heart of Weston-super-Mare, in the UK. Transformed from an abandoned Pizza Express restaurant, The Front Room is a space committed to supporting local storytelling artists, and to bringing exciting and affordable theater to everyone in the community. Audiences come there for improv, stand up comedy, puppetry, family programming, music, devised and immersive experiences in an inclusive, welcoming environment.

As if running a non profit theater company were not enough of a full time job, this is not where making space for storytelling ends for Emma. She is a writer and continues to perform herself, often in drag as a persona she has created called Uncle Carl. She is currently exploring drag king culture and gender identity as the focus of a PhD degree she is pursuing at the University of Bristol.

You can find out more about The Front Room at: https://frontroomwsm.com/

Get to know Uncle Carl on You Tube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylZWhq5RGSg

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When a rare disease strikes, we might be to think only of the small populations of patients who are impacted by any single rare condition as stories too specific to be told. Taken in aggregate, rare disease has a sobering impact on the lived experiences of so many patients but also their families and care givers. There is a chorus of story tellers in rare disease who need to be heard, elevated and advocated for.

In this episode of the Story Conversations podcast we talk with Pam Cusick, SVP of Strategy, Client Solutions and Patient Advocacy at Rare Patient Voice. RPV connects patients and family caregivers globally with all types of engagement opportunities, in market research, health economics outcomes and real-world evidence, user experience/human factors studies, and clinical trials.

Pam shares poignant stories about passionate care givers who turn the tragedies of rare disease that impact their families into life defining initiatives to make a difference in the broader world. These stories reflect the community of patients, families and the thousands of advocacy and support groups RPV helps through their referral programs. Our conversation with Pam reveals how providing opportunities for patient and care giver stories to be heard drives action to tackle the economics and therapeutic implications of rare disease and provides a window into the realities of living with (not just dying from) rare conditions.

Details on the work of Rare Patient Voice can be found here: http://www.rarepatientvoice.com

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What happens in academic research when the subjects who are being researched are actually empowered to be active participants in the shape of the research process itself? Can the resulting story data yield insights with greater potential to stimulate discovery and change?

Our guest this episode is Judy Pryor-Ramirez, Clinical Associate Professor of Public Service and Faculty Director, Executive MPA Program at the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at New York University.

She shares with us her journey to developing academic research tools inspired by civil rights era theatrical techniques called “story circles”. These engagement methods were first established to spark dialogue around social injustice, voter disenfranchisement and segregation. She shares how this applying the “story circle” interview process can help academic social scientists reach deeper levels of understanding the dynamics of their research subjects’ lived experiences, especially in indigenous, Black and Latino communities.

In our conversation, Judy references a book to which she contributed, on the origin and extension of the “story circles” interview process method and case studies of its use in social science research. She provides our listeners with the following information about its availability.

Book title: Anti-colonial research praxis: Methods for knowledge justice

Edited by Caroline Lenette

Book website: https://manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526177001/

Discount code for 30% off on the publisher’s website: EVENT30

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Everywhere in the world non-profit organizations are challenged to pursue their mission, none more so than arts and cultural organizations like museums, ballet and opera companies, and theaters. Present circumstances with arts funding being cut exacerbates perennial struggles. Arts based non-profit organizations have always sought ways to grow their audiences efficiently, sell more tickets and build sustainable sources of funding. Now, this quest is mission critical.

Our guest this episode is Eric Nelson, Vice President, Global Partnerships at TRG Arts, an international change agency committed to building thriving arts and cultural organizations. Experts in the arts sector for over 25 years, TRG Arts has earned a reputation by successfully shaping for-profit and non-profit business models to focus on consumer relationships, financial stability, organizational frameworks, and people-centric teams.

In this episode, Eric talks about the need for non-profit arts and cultural organizations to be better storytellers as well as dispelling myths about growing, surviving and thriving in tumultuous times.

To learn more about TRG Arts: http://www.trgarts.com/

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest this episode is Giovanni Boivin, the proprietor of The BookLoft, a 50-year-old independent bookstore in Great Barrington Massachusetts in the US. A “Storyteller turned Storyseller”, Gio (as he is known to staff and customers) turned a grade school love of story to a career that has manifested in creative writing and then relating the stories behind a tourist destination as a tour guide, at an historic house in the Berkshire region of Western Massachusetts he calls home. Since 2022 Gio has been the owner of The Bookloft, where he started as a clerk and wore many hats for years before becoming its steward and proprietor.

The Bookloft serves locals and visitors as an alternative to the big box retailers who have rendered many indie bookstores extinct. But fear not if Western Mass is not on your itinerary anytime soon. Gio presides over a healthy online business as well, that will locate and ship titles domestically for your reading pleasure and gifting needs. https://www.thebookloft.com/

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Our guest this episode is Malu Halasa, a prolific and passionate observer of the Middle East through the lens of art and culture. Our conversation explores how she provides readers with a unique window into the changing mores of the region, having written and edited over 8 anthologies, and several novels and short stories of her own.

Born in Oklahoma, to Jordanian and Filipino parents, raised in Ohio, a graduate of Barnard College, Columbia University, Malu now lives in London, where she is currently a Literary Editor at The Markaz Review.

As a journalist, Malu’s contributions include music journalism for Rolling Stone, and writing for Huffington Post, and The Guardian.

Anthologies she has edited include:

· “Syria Speaks: Art and Culture from the Frontline”,

· “Culture in Defiance: Continuing Traditions of Satire, Art and the Struggle for Freedom in Syria”,

· “Transit Tehran: Young Iran and Its Inspirations”

· “The Secret Life of Syrian Lingerie: Intimacy and Design”,

· “Woman Life Freedom: Voices and Art from the Women’s Protests in Iran”,

· And a new book coming out in January called “Sumud: A New Palestinian Reader”

Her debut novel “Mother of all Pigs” is an epic Jordanian family saga chronicling the comedy and pathos of the patriarchy in decline.

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What could be more theatrical than stories told in a courtroom? Especially those told to represent individuals who cannot afford adequate defense when accused of a crime?

In this episode we chat with Matt Cleaver, Staff Attorney with Brooklyn Defender Services, a passionate public defender and a human rights activist. Trained in theater, experienced in arts administration and theater management, Matt pivoted to a career in law, to make a difference in lives of those disadvantaged in society. He brings a unique perspective to his role, representing and advocating for clients whose stories are often silenced by the nature of legal system. In our chat Matt shares anecdotes of using story to engage prosecutorial adversaries as collaborators, the need for specificity to amplify the stories of his clients, and the significance of language we use that can subtly impact the outcome of any defense.

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