Three animated short films commissioned by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
A short animated documentary series about mass incarceration in the U.S., which shows the toll that an abusive and unjust criminal system takes on individuals, families, and communities.
Jason Hernandez was barely 21 when he was sentenced to life without parole, plus 320 years, for a nonviolent drug crime.
For Johnny Perez, returning to society and to his family after being in prison for 13 years wasn't easy.
Lavette Mayes' life and those of her children changed forever after being arrested for having a fight with her mother-in-law.
Director's Bio
Elyse Kelly is an award-winning director and producer based in the U.S. with a passion for human-centered stories. With a background in both animation and traditional documentary filmmaking, Kelly approaches her work through a unique lens combining bold, unapologetic animated visuals with mindful nonfiction storytelling.
Kelly's work has won awards and been exhibited in festivals worldwide, including Sundance, Tribeca, Annecy, Zagreb, and OIAF. She's also directed award-winning campaigns and content for clients such as Netflix, the ACLU, The Atlantic, Sesame Workshop, Sony Music, the United Nations Foundation, and Meow Wolf.
Kelly is the creative force behind Neon Zoo, an independent film studio with a passion for giving a platform and voice to the untold, unexpected, and sometimes taboo stories.
Alongside her career as a filmmaker, Kelly is an educator, currently teaching animation at Georgetown University.
Content Notices: Criminalisation, prison, separation from children
Credits
Director: Elyse Kelly
ACLU Multi Media Manager: Molly Kaplan
ACLU’s Digital Campaign Manager for Smart Justice: Zave Martohardjono
Jason's Sentence:
Animation director: Anna Bron
Producer: Holly Stone
Executive producer: Ron Diamond
Original music: Brooke Blair & Will Blair
Story finder/Field producer: Kelly Ramundo
Location sound mixer: Corey Poindexter
Animators/Renderers: Anna Bron & Andrew Whyte
Editors: Dan Fipphen & Elyse Kelly
Sound design & Mix: Studio Unknown
Johnny's Home:
Animation director: Anna Bron
Producer: Holly Stone
Executive producer: Ron Diamond
Original music: Brooke Blair & Will Blair
Story finder/Field producer: Kelly Ramundo
Location sound mixer: Corey Poindexter
Animators/Renderers: Anna Bron & Andrew Whyte
Editors: Dan Fipphen & Elyse Kelly
Sound design & Mix: Studio Unknown
Lavette's Choice:
Animation director: Naghmeh Farzaneh
Producer: Holly Stone
Executive producer: Ron Diamond
Original music: Brooke Blair & Will Blair
Story finder/Field producer: Kelly Ramundo
Location sound mixer: Douglas Mara
Storyboard artist: Darren Enterline
Animation assistant: Lucas Gonzalez
Editors: Dan Fipphen & Elyse Kelly
Sound design & Mix: Studio Unknown
