What is the purpose of prison? Often described as a tool for both punishment and rehabilitation, the U.S. prison system frequently falls short in achieving the latter. The Department of Justice reports that over 650,000 individuals are released from prison each year, with two-thirds being re-arrested within three years. While rehabilitation is the stated reason for incarcerating more people than many other countries, the system rarely fulfills this goal.
A new film by writer Marvin Wade and animator Evan Bode contrasts the ineffective aspects of the prison system with the programs and determination that can lead to genuine change. Featured in the Opinion section of The New York Times, “Prison and Time” explores Wade’s experiences during his incarceration. Despite the system’s constraints and the challenges posed by correctional officers, Wade managed to earn his GED, learn conflict resolution, and discover his passion for writing. For him, time was the essential support needed to gain insight, while the system was more concerned with dehumanization and punishment.
Bode created a dark and dizzying animation that reflects the grim and confining atmosphere of a prison cell, highlighting the lives it conceals and obstructs. The scenes, crafted in watercolor and marker, appear as fleeting moments within the broader narrative, serving as a metaphor that guides the viewer through the film like the ticking of a clock. A making-of video showcases this meticulous process.
Bode and Wade were introduced through Project Mend, a journal from Syracuse University that highlights work by creatives affected by the prison system. “Mend is a small, close-knit group achieving remarkable things with great care,” Bode explains. “Last year, [the project’s founder] Patrick W. Berry shared several texts from Mend with me for potential animation, including Marvin Wade’s insightful essay, ‘Time and Prison: Are They Mutually Exclusive?‘”
Wade provided the narration, while Bode handled the animation, creating a compelling window into Wade’s life during a pivotal and transformative period. “I believe an artist’s role is to inspire the audience,” Wade states about the film. “I hope everyone who watches it will feel touched in some way.”
Project Mend has enlisted Bode for more collaborations, including an animated film set to the poem “Man Skin Boy Mask” by José Angel Perez. Stay tuned for its release on Vimeo.
