“It’s one of those dry bones stories.”

In 2021, filmmaker Tara L. Conley traveled back to her hometown in Elyria, Ohio to document the story of Ike Maxwell, a local high school football hero of the 1970s.

Set against the backdrop of a city long plagued by racial tension and economic decline, DRY BONES follows Ike's triumphs and struggles as his life unravels after the tragic death of his younger brother, Daryl Lee Maxwell, who was shot and killed by a white police officer during the summer of 1975. Daryl Lee’s death sparked a three-day uprising in a city known for its placid and tepid response to social change.

At its heart, DRY BONES explores the resilience of Black communities in Rust Belt Ohio and highlights the spiritual and communal significance of American football in a small town. Sherman Jones, a community organizer featured in the film asks, “How do you breathe life into dry bones?”—referencing the biblical story of Ezekiel’s dry bones.

In capturing Ike’s story, once framed by The New York Times as “the hard fall of a favorite son” (2012), DRY BONES presents a more personal and community-rooted narrative about loss and Black life in northeast Ohio.

The film also features a treasure trove of music from Boddie Recording Company, a formally Black-owned record label in Cleveland, Ohio during the 1970s. Audiences will also hear original music scored by filmmaker Tara L. Conley, along with a performance of George Gershwin’s “Someone to Watch Over Me.”

DRY BONES is a must-see for audiences looking for an intimate portrayal and an ode to Black life in places that have been lost in the American imagination.

Post-production officially wraps in March 2025. If you’re interested in learning about how to best support the film for broader distribution, please contact us.

Note: Generative AI was not used anywhere in the making of this film.