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My Name Is Robert Ruark

My Name is Robert Ruark is a heart-wrenching documentary that uncovers the true story of Robert J. Ruark, an Ohio man unjustly convicted of murder and imprisoned for nearly half his life. Told through powerful interviews with legal experts, family members, and justice advocates, the film highlights the human cost of inadequate legal representation that has deprived Robert of his freedom since 2008—and the grassroots movement now underway to see him freed. This is a story of mercy, hope, and justice.

  • Si Paros
    Director
  • N Mills
    Writer
  • M Ray
    Writer
  • J Smith
    Writer
  • Si Paros
    Producer
  • Sean Courtney Lewis
    Editors
  • Peter Carrodus ASE
    Supervising Editor
  • Matthew Petrunak
    Director of Photography
  • Emma Dixon
    Additional Cinematographers
  • Joshua Strausbaugh
    Additional Cinematographers
  • Julio Gonzalez Charcape
    Additional Cinematographers
  • Matthew James Mikita
    Sound
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    55 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    September 15, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    12,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Australia
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
Director Biography - Si Paros

Si Paros is an Australian educator and debut filmmaker committed to social justice and storytelling that bridges cultural and spiritual worlds. With a background in Religious Studies, Archaeology, and Educational Leadership, she has worked across education and community initiatives, most recently teaching in a remote Aboriginal community while producing grassroots projects in justice reform. My Name is Robert Ruark is her debut feature documentary, reflecting her passion for amplifying unheard voices and exploring themes of resilience, justice, and hope. Based in Western Australia, where she continues to teach and write, and her creative practice is guided by a belief in storytelling as a tool for justice, reconciliation, and hope.

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Director Statement

I was drawn to make My Name is Robert Ruark because I believe stories of injustice must be told with dignity, depth, and compassion. For years I felt frustrated with how people on the margins of society were portrayed, too often reduced to stereotypes or silenced altogether. I wanted to give voice to the voiceless, to counter the narratives that dehumanize and dismiss.
When I first encountered Robert’s case, I recognized not only the personal tragedy of wrongful imprisonment but also the systemic failures that silence families and communities. As a teacher and advocate, I have long been committed to amplifying voices pushed to the margins. This film grew out of years of listening, corresponding, and documenting, often from 14,000 miles away, while balancing my work in a remote Aboriginal community. The distance mirrors the very heart of the story—that incarceration separates people not only from freedom but from love, family, and the ability to be fully human.
Creatively, I chose a restrained, human-centered approach—focusing on testimony, memory, and the quiet strength of those who live with the consequences of injustice. The film does not sensationalize crime but rather insists on seeing the person behind the label and the system that defines them.
My hope is that audiences leave this film with a deeper sense of empathy, and a sharper awareness of how easily justice can fail—and a renewed commitment to imagining something better.