Experiencing Interruptions?

Dain Bramage: Voyages into Visual Collage

When best-selling author and professor of literature Blake Newhem Valenzuela was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor, his world was crushed. Being the "Word Guy" and losing his language expression ability, he searched for new mediums within the arts to save his life, soul, and neuroplasticity.

  • Shankar Sudhakaran
    Director
  • Blake Newhem Valenzuela
    Producer
  • Valenz
    Key Cast
  • Jason Trotta
    Music
  • Shankar Sudhakaran
    Editor
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Runtime:
    7 minutes 9 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    August 26, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    0 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States, United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States, United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Columbus, Film, Author and Photography Festival
    Columbus, OH
    United States
    October 12, 2024
    World Premiere
    Official Selection
  • The Flight Deck Film Festival
    New York, NU
    United States
    September 30, 2024
    Honorable Mention
  • The Film Collective Short Film Festival
    Bensalem, PA
    United States
    December 12, 2024
    Official Selection
  • 2025 Erie International Film Festival
    Erie, PA
    United States
    March 6, 2025
    Official Selection
  • Sunshine City Film Festival
    Saint Petersburg, FL
    United States
    January 11, 2025
    Official Selection
  • The North Film Festival - New York City
    New York, NY
    United States
    February 25, 2025
    Best Short Documentary - Nominee
Director Biography - Shankar Sudhakaran

Neil "Shankar" Sudhakaran is an award winning independent filmmaker, projectionist, and sound designer from Cleveland, OH. Being a second generation Indian/American Neil's father is justifiably devastated for his pursuit of the arts, or at least would be if this absentee wasn’t awarded the distinguished Deadbeat Dad of the Year since 1990. Throughout the late 20th Century Neil was reluctantly checking diversity quotas and changing hearts in Ashland, Ohio as being “One of the good brownies”. Neil would like to thank The Grim Reaper, the two have become best buds, although Mr. Grim visits less regularly since Neil received a kidney and liver transplant. Most notably Neil received a Cleveland Critics Circle Award for his film / projection work on Angry F@#$ at convergence-continuum. Neil is also the founder of The Akron Independent Horror Short Film Festival. For more information visit nsudock.com.

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Director Statement

This companion film was produced in conjunction with Valenz's first solo art show at Summit Art Space in Akron, Ohio; opening in August of 2024. I consider myself truly blessed to have such an amazing friend in Blake and hope I've done a morsel of justice in presenting his story.