Spies In Corsets, a Queer Political Drama Highlighting Prison Abolition

Spies In Corsets, a short film written and directed by Joey J. Haley and produced by Mustard Boy Productions sets sights on 2025 festival run. The film is a queer political drama highlighting communication reform via the topic of prison abolition. Spies In Corsets begins an important conversation about how compassion & context is the gateway to changing harmful structures of communication and inter-party dynamics of systemic change.

What happens when longing comes up against morals?

Marcy (Chloe Baldwin) and Odi (Jewell Karinen) ready themselves to attend the 18th century ball of an overtly rich prison owner (Rex Strype). After three months of careful preparation, it’s finally the night to carry out their mission. As if the high stakes of foiling the warden’s plans were not enough, Marcy and Odi’s unprofessional feelings for each other start to unveil at the non-promise of tomorrow. Through the course of their last conversations before the ball, they reveal their self-appointed missions exposing their opposite values. What happens when longing comes up against morals?

Director, Joey J. Haley

Joey J. Haley is a genderfluid Director, Steadicam operator & dance creative who is from New Hampshire and Fortaleza, Brazil. He graduated from Mount Holyoke College with a BFA in film and dance. In both disciplines, her work focuses on showcasing deeper societal politics. She studied abroad in Prague for a semester at the Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (FAMU) and studied with a Sarah Lawrence College feature film program in 2019. Off the Air, a directed and choreographed interdisciplinary project, was showcased and won the “Best of Mount Holyoke” award in the Five College Film Festival (2019) and screened at the Massachusetts Multicultural Film Festival (2019). In 2021, Joey won an “Excellence in Cinematography” award for Best Camera Motion in Smashed, presented by Cynthia Pusheck ASC. Joey has operated Steadicam in a variety of media over the last several years; most notably Lucia di Lammermoor at the LA Opera, Dorian Electra, Sinhead Hartnett and upcoming features; Decibel and She’s the He.

Support Independent Artists

There is a fundraiser for Spies In Corsets that ends on February 28th that is similar to a pay-what-you-can tax-deductible movie ticket to the short. After a year of hard work, Haley and his team has the film in the can and is preparing for a festival run. Donors to the project will receive an exclusive link before the wide release date is determined after their festival run.

Instagram: @spies.in.corsets

Website: https://www.joeyjhaley.com/current-projects

Campaign Page: https://spiesincorsets.allyrafundraising.com/campaigns/13293-spies-in-corsets

Donation page after Feb 28th: https://spiesincorsets.allyrafundraising.com/

To learn more about the Prison Abolition Movement:

These organizations are doing the work: Critical Resistance, Justice LA, Black & Pink, Prison Journalism Project and Prison Policy Initiative.

Read Derecka Purnell’s critically acclaimed book Becoming Abolitionists Police, Protests, and the Pursuit of Freedom