Eli: A Dog in Prison

We meet ELI: A DOG IN PRISON when he's a frisky two-month-old puppy enrolled in the Leader Dogs for the Blind program. The nonprofit puts the puppy in the hands of selected inmates Raymond Hall, Thomas Grobbel, and Burrell X at the Macomb Correctional facility in Michigan to train the dog for one year, live with him 24/7, feed, and care for him all under the guidance of trainers from outside the prison. At the end of the year, the dog is assessed. Can he stand by the master's side undistracted? Can he obey commands? Can he heel, sit, come, stand? Predictably, just as humans train dogs, dogs also train their humans, often to the benefit of both. Recorded by directors Nora Mandray and Jason B. Kohl, the year flies as the men bond with the dog and with each other. Thomas, a remorseful White 30-year-old sentenced for driving drunk and causing a death, admits his racist beliefs and says he would never even have tried to get to know a Black inmate before Eli brought him together with his two Black collaborators. Burrell is an introspective man who calls his former self an "average American." One day he was out walking his dog peaceably, and the next day he killed someone in a rage. He's actively working to "correct" himself, to become a better human being before his earliest possible release date in 2033. In the meantime, he wants to give back to the community to make up for his crime. Raymond is a thoughtful, gentle man who is also filled with remorse about the life he took. The three share the hope that training Eli to help a blind person one day is one way they can contribute to a community that their crimes harmed.