A Los Angeles filmmaker is bringing her unusual documentary to central Iowa later this week. Angela Shelton journeyed across the U.S. interviewing 40 other women, all named Angela Shelton, and found many shared more than a name. She says 24 of the 40 said they had been victims of rape, domestic violence or child molestation.
Shelton says she drove around, surveying women in America, “to see how we’re doing and unfortunately, most of us had a past of abuse. But the message is healing and awareness and unity among women.” She says the film “Searching for Angela Shelton” took her five years to complete and aims to teach a lesson about strength, forgiveness, faith and the power of the human spirit.
Shelton says “One-hundred-percent of the women left the abusive husbands, started their own businesses, put themselves through school, I finished the movie, the alcoholic goes into rehab, so it’s incredibly uplifting. It’s not the movie you want to go drive your car off a cliff afterwards, you know?”
Shelton is a 34-year-old North Carolina native who now lives in L.A., working as a writer, actress and filmmaker. She says whether you know it or not, you probably know someone who was sexually abused. She says this movie is helping to break the silence.
Shelton says “I could’ve picked any name. It doesn’t mean every Angela Shelton is a victim of abuse or every Angela you meet could possibly be one. It’s more — we’re all Angela Shelton. It’s very uplifting and life-changing for many people actually.” The film will be shown for free at Lutheran Church of Hope in Des Moines on Friday at 7 P.M. For more information, surf to “www.searchingforangelashelton.com”.
Related web sites:
Angela Shelton website