Filmmaking duo Adria Dawn and David Tarleton are stepping into a more emotionally reflective space with their upcoming short film Mantra. Known for their award-winning storytelling, the pair are now embracing a spoken-word–driven format that explores personal growth, identity, aging, and resilience.
A Story Born from Personal Reflection
Adria shares that Mantra began as an unexpected extension of her completed memoir, Unpacking.
“Mantra actually started as an outtake from my memoir. I’ve spent the last several years writing a memoir called Unpacking, which is now finished. While I was working through revisions, I began writing a stream-of-consciousness poem. That poem ended up encapsulating what the whole book is about — being older, I’m 51 now, and coming to terms with who I am as a woman in my 50s.It’s about feeling good about getting older instead of fighting it, and also about overcoming adversity and trauma. I’ve been sober for years now, and this project reflects resilience and growth. It’s essentially spoken word about my life, and I hope it’s a positive and empowering piece for women my age and women in general.”
A Shift in Form and Storytelling
David explains that the project represents a stylistic shift from their traditional filmmaking structure.
“We’ve been mapping out the story because this is spoken-word driven, which is different from our usual narrative structure. Normally, we focus on traditional storytelling with a beginning, middle, and end. With Mantra, we’re leaning into a more experimental short-film format.We want to play with form, shifting in and out of time, and creating something non-linear. The storytelling will be more allegorical and metaphorical, exploring larger themes. For example, there will be different versions of Adria, a child version, a younger version, and an older version, and also younger and present versions of me. The way these characters are revealed and blended together is something we’re excited to explore creatively.”
Adria Dawn & David Tarleton Shares Most Exciting Part About Mantra:
For Adria, one of the most rewarding aspects of the project has been the creative stretch.
“The most fun part has been creating a project that really pushes our creativity as far as possible. We’ll also be working with Syracuse University students, and we currently have a crew of about 19 people. We’re excited to involve them and give them a memorable creative experience while showing them the type of filmmaking we love to do.” – Adria Dawn
“For me, it’s been really fun developing this project alongside Adria. We started with the poem, expanded and refined it, and worked together on the imagery and scenes. It’s been exciting to explore storytelling in a different way than we usually do. Adria is starring in this film as well, and we’ve worked together on many projects before, so collaborating with her in that way is always rewarding.” – David Tarleton
Visual Symbolism – Location!
“We’re currently trying to secure filming locations, and one we’re very excited about is a property that has a giant hedge maze,” David says. “We’d love to shoot a scene there because it works beautifully on a thematic level. It would visually and metaphorically represent Adria’s character searching for direction or clarity. We’re really hoping that location works out.”
The Meaning Behind Mantra – A More Joyful Message
Adria notes that Mantra will differ in tone from their previous film, Spiral.
“Our previous film, Spiral, was quite dark, although it did offer hope at the end. With Mantra, I want the message to feel more joyful and uplifting.” She explains the meaning behind the title:
“The title refers to a mantra that I repeat to myself — moving from simply saying it to actually believing it. One of those affirmations is ‘I am an amazing woman.’ I want audiences to feel joy and happiness when they watch the film. I’m excited about highlighting positivity and emotional growth throughout the story.”
With Mantra, Adria and David continue to push their creative boundaries while staying rooted in authenticity, personal reflection, and emotional honesty. The project stands to show to resilience, identity, and the power of believing the words we choose to speak over ourselves. Follow Adria and David for all the latest updates about the film and more on official social sites!
https://www.instagram.com/davidtarleton/
https://www.instagram.com/adria.dawn/?hl=en
https://tarletondawn.com/Home.html
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