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Welcome to ColinShuran.com

Explore Colin's films, articles, and other work here.

Colin Speaks at TEDx

"We Have a Crisis of Empathy, and Here's How to Fix It"

In 1979, President Jimmy Carter proclaimed that America was suffering from a “crisis of confidence.” Today, writer and filmmaker Colin Shuran believes that we are instead suffering from a “crisis of empathy.” With societal challenges on the rise, Shuran proposes a solution to this crisis by revolutionizing human connection as we know it.

Colin's Most Notable Works

Colin Shuran •

My Friend Karl | Official Movie

MY FRIEND KARL is the story of an unlikely friendship between Karl Smithson, a former homeless man, and Colin Shuran, a filmmaker.

Karl Smithson was always a loner and outsider, never having many friends. When incarcerated at a mental hospital, Karl received ten weeks of shock treatments. He thought this was cruel, so he made his way to Nashville to serve the homeless and mentally ill. He accomplished many miraculous feats while homeless, but his ultimate accomplishment was his unconditional friendship with everyone he met. Later, writer and filmmaker Colin Shuran dove deeper into Karl’s story, and an unlikely friendship was formed.

This film highlights the issues of homelessness, mental illness, and friendships. It shares an important message accessible to all ages. It is an internationally award-winning film, having won the Remi Award from Houston International Film Festival.
Colin Shuran •

Walls For Women | Official Movie

In the summer of 2020, a Tennessee public art program launched their month-long mural initiative with one goal in mind: to transform walls in rural towns with just a coat of paint. The catch? These walls were for women.

That summer was also the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th amendment, which granted women the right to vote. With the mural initiative appropriately named WALLS FOR WOMEN, over ten female artists painted beautiful murals across the state of Tennessee. Why Tennessee? Well, if it weren’t for a Tennessee Senator named Harry Burn, the 19th amendment would have gone to shambles.

WALLS FOR WOMEN, both the program and the film, serves as a celebration of women in art. The film was a collaborative effort between writer/filmmaker Colin Shuran and DMA-Events, a non-profit public art project with the mission to “Do. More. Art.“