Max's last day. Left to right: Daysha Watson, Cidney Thomas, Courtney Spencer, Max Ligon. 

 

 

Run Time: 1 hour 21 minutes, Format: 4k Digital

 

Scott Ligon’s new film, “Max, a Short Life” is about the life and death of his son Max Ligon who was killed in a car accident at age 19. His car was hit by a drunk driver going the wrong way on the highway, driving over 100 miles per hour.

 

Told through live action and animation, the film documents his heartbreaking last day and the aftermath of his passing. The film is also an often humorous celebration of his short life as a quirky, creative and courageous individual who forever changed the lives of his friends and family for the better.

 

The film features candid and poignant interviews with family as well as friends from every era of Max’s life. 

 

Because his phone survived the car crash, the film also features astonishing documentation of his amazing last day, which he spent with his friends at an amusement park in Ohio.

 

The film also contains interviews with the first responder who arrived on the scene to help Max and his friends. It contains an interview with a person in another car who was almost hit by the drunk driver minutes earlier. It features news footage and 911 calls from the actual crash. 

 

The film is for anyone who has experienced grief but it is also a life affirming manifesto about an adventurous life lived with conviction.

 

The music for the film is composed by Gideon Freudmann. Gideon has regularly contributed to NPR's "All Things Considered”. His music has been licensed for TV, and Sundance award winning films. His music has also been used for advertising campaigns including Apple, Chrysler,  American Express, and Microsoft.

 

Animated sequences are created for the film by a crew of 17 students of the Cleveland Institute of Art as part of the Animation Community Projects Course. These students often find employment in major animation studios upon graduation.

 

The film was originally intended as a short film but has expanded into Scott’s first full length film.

 

Scott’s short film Escape Velocity played in festivals all over the world and signed several deals for television through Shorts International in London.

 

He is also the author of Digital Art Revolution, a book published by Random House. He is currently an Associate Professor at the Cleveland Institute of Art.