Short Documentary

The Butterfly Lab

A personal, character-driven look at a medium-security women's prison in Oregon, where conservation work and incarceration intersect in unexpected ways. The film follows two women as they help raise the endangered Taylor's checkerspot butterfly over its lifecycle, reflecting on the long arc of their own lives inside. Their daily routines in the lab become a quiet way to talk about time, purpose, and what it means to care for something fragile while incarcerated.

Award

Artistic Vision Award, Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, 2026

Selection

Mountainfilm Festival, Telluride, 2026

Director

Sean Grasso

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