A message from Marvin and Evan:
In conversations about prison, people often mistake punishment for justice. Instead of investing in prevention, repair and healing, the carceral system often doubles down on violence. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Along with an indictment of prison’s destructiveness, this film is an invitation to imagine and advocate for a radically different yet possible world — one that cherishes both time and life.
Our film “Prison and Time” is a co-creation, made by two artists:
You can read Marvin's full essay, "Time and Prison: Are They Mutually Exclusive?" in volume 3 of Mend: The Journal (2025).
You can learn more about Evan's animation process for this film through this behind the scenes video and on our film's website.
About the Writer / Narrator
Marvin Wade is a Spiritual Activist and family man, born in 1970 and raised in Brooklyn, NY. While incarcerated for 25 years, Marvin wrote multiple books worth of stories, novels, and personal essays on every bit of paper he could find, combining his gift as a storyteller with the art of writing. As a Social Advocate, Marvin believes that his purpose in life is to be that light for those in finding their true self and true path in life. A celebrated writer and speaker, Marvin has read his work at spaces such as the Malin Gallery, Princeton University, The Everson Museum of Art, and the Museum of Modern Art. You can read his writings in publications such as Mend, Voices of Fortune, and recreationwriters. (Instagram: @truespiritualactivist)
About the Filmmaker / Animator
Evan Bode (any pronouns) is an award-winning experimental animator, independent filmmaker, music composer, collage artist, film editor, and arts educator who graduated with an MFA in Film from Syracuse University in 2023. Their work has been celebrated at major film festivals across the United States and around the world, including at Animafest Zagreb, Outfest LA, and the Gotham Awards. (Instagram: @evanbode)
Special Thanks to Dorothy Wade (Marvin's mother), Mišo Suchý (Evan's mentor), all the incredible editors of Mend: The Journal, and the team at NYT Op-Docs (including Yvonne Ashley Kouadjo and Alexandra Garcia) for selecting and publishing our film.
This project is envisioned as the first in a planned series of artist/author collaborations, adapting the published work of prison-impacted authors for an audiovisual medium to add a new expressive dimension and introduce their stories to a wider audience. Follow Project Mend on Instagram (@mend_syracuse), FaceBook (Project Mend), and YouTube (@project.mend.stories) for updates.
Screenings & Awards for Prison and Time
Official Selection of NYT Op-Docs
ANIMAPHIX New Contemporary Languages Film Festival (Italy)
Gimli International Film Festival (Canada)
Inthrive Film Festival (Virginia)
Oakland International Film Festival (California)
Cinema Columbus (Ohio)
Linoleum Contemporary Animation Festival (Kyiv, Ukraine)
Black August Film Festival (California)
Encuentro Para Cinéfagos Festival de CineArte (Venezuela)
Walla Walla Movie Crush (Washington)
New Faves Film Festival (New York City)
New Jersey International Film Festival (New Jersey)
FOLCS International Short Film Festival (New York)
Wide Open Experimental Film Festival (Oklahoma)
ATL DOC: Atlanta Documentary Film Festival (Georgia)
14th Annual Justice Film Festival (New York)
Pebbles Underground Film and Video Art, Winter Screening. (WINNER: Audience Award)
MicroActs Artist Film Screening: “In a Curious Place” (London, UK)
“After Prison: When I Think of Freedom” with Project Mend (Auburn, NY)
Press for Prison and Time
Befriending Time Changed My Life (The New York Times)
Poetic Short Film Animates the Counterproductive Forces of Incarceration (Colossal)
Filmmaker Interview: Evan Bode & Marvin Wade (Wide Open Experimental Film Fest)
When I Think of Freedom: Project Mend & The Power of Storytelling (SU College of Arts & Sciences))
Captions provided by CCTubes – Captioning the Internet! Formerly incarcerated writer Marvin Wade reflects personally about his 25 years in prison—and the positive transformation he achieved in spite of, not because of, the inhumane carceral system around him.
A Project Mend Production. This artistic collaboration, which pairs expressive visuals with a personal essay published in Mend: the Journal, was facilitated by Project Mend — a grassroots organization in Central New York celebrating the lives and creative writing of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people and their communities. Learn more by visiting project-mend.net, exploring our open-access multimodal archive through Syracuse University, or contacting Patrick W. Berry.
Writer & Narrator: Marvin Wade
Animation, Editing, Sound Design, & Producer: Evan Bode
Executive Producer: Patrick W. Berry (Project Mend)
A message from Marvin and Evan:
In conversations about prison, people often mistake punishment for justice. Instead of investing in prevention, repair and healing, the carceral system often doubles down on violence. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Along with an indictment of prison’s destructiveness, this film is an invitation to imagine and advocate for a radically different yet possible world — one that cherishes both time and life.
Our film “Prison and Time” is a co-creation, made by two artists:
You can read Marvin’s full essay, “Time and Prison: Are They Mutually Exclusive?” in volume 3 of Mend: The Journal (2025).
You can learn more about Evan’s animation process for this film through this behind the scenes video and on our film’s website.
About the Writer / Narrator
Marvin Wade is a Spiritual Activist and family man, born in 1970 and raised in Brooklyn, NY. While incarcerated for 25 years, Marvin wrote multiple books worth of stories, novels, and personal essays on every bit of paper he could find, combining his gift as a storyteller with the art of writing. As a Social Advocate, Marvin believes that his purpose in life is to be that light for those in finding their true self and true path in life. A celebrated writer and speaker, Marvin has read his work at spaces such as the Malin Gallery, Princeton University, The Everson Museum of Art, and the Museum of Modern Art. You can read his writings in publications such as Mend, Voices of Fortune, and recreationwriters. (Instagram: @truespiritualactivist)
About the Filmmaker / Animator
Evan Bode (any pronouns) is an award-winning experimental animator, independent filmmaker, music composer, collage artist, film editor, and arts educator who graduated with an MFA in Film from Syracuse University in 2023. Their work has been celebrated at major film festivals across the United States and around the world, including at Animafest Zagreb, Outfest LA, and the Gotham Awards. (Instagram: @evanbode)
Special Thanks to Dorothy Wade (Marvin’s mother), Mišo Suchý (Evan’s mentor), all the incredible editors of Mend: The Journal, and the team at NYT Op-Docs (including Yvonne Ashley Kouadjo and Alexandra Garcia) for selecting and publishing our film.
This project is envisioned as the first in a planned series of artist/author collaborations, adapting the published work of prison-impacted authors for an audiovisual medium to add a new expressive dimension and introduce their stories to a wider audience. Follow Project Mend on Instagram (@mend_syracuse), FaceBook (Project Mend), and YouTube (@project.mend.stories) for updates.
Screenings & Awards for Prison and Time
Official Selection of NYT Op-Docs
ANIMAPHIX New Contemporary Languages Film Festival (Italy)
Gimli International Film Festival (Canada)
Inthrive Film Festival (Virginia)
Oakland International Film Festival (California)
Cinema Columbus (Ohio)
Linoleum Contemporary Animation Festival (Kyiv, Ukraine)
Black August Film Festival (California)
Encuentro Para Cinéfagos Festival de CineArte (Venezuela)
Walla Walla Movie Crush (Washington)
New Faves Film Festival (New York City)
New Jersey International Film Festival (New Jersey)
FOLCS International Short Film Festival (New York)
Wide Open Experimental Film Festival (Oklahoma)
ATL DOC: Atlanta Documentary Film Festival (Georgia)
14th Annual Justice Film Festival (New York)
Pebbles Underground Film and Video Art, Winter Screening. (WINNER: Audience Award)
MicroActs Artist Film Screening: “In a Curious Place” (London, UK)
“After Prison: When I Think of Freedom” with Project Mend (Auburn, NY)
Press for Prison and Time
Befriending Time Changed My Life (The New York Times)
Poetic Short Film Animates the Counterproductive Forces of Incarceration (Colossal)
Filmmaker Interview: Evan Bode & Marvin Wade (Wide Open Experimental Film Fest)
When I Think of Freedom: Project Mend & The Power of Storytelling (SU College of Arts & Sciences)