'When They See Us' Trailer: Ava DuVernay Chronicles The Case & Lives Of The Central Park Five

There is no doubt that Oscar-nominated filmmaker Ava DuVernay (“Selma,” “The 13th“) has quietly been one of the hardest working directors in recent years. Her passion project, “When They See Us” was teased with a stunning, shattering teaser sequence a few weeks back. Now the full-length trailer has arrived, and DuVernay is not holding anything back.

An activist and filmmaker, DuVernay brings to screen the story of the young men branded as The Central Park Five, chronicling there lives during the high-profile New York City case that shook the nation and their eventual exoneration and release. It’s a harrowing task to culminate 25 years of a terrible experience into a limited series, but DuVernay is not one to back down from the challenge. The limited series, on Netflix, will serve to highlight the inequalities existing in the justice system and the ripple effect of history all from the perspective of the young men who were made to endure.  DuVernay directs a talented ensemble in a story whose fracture through America still tremors to this day.

READ MORE: ‘When They See Us’ Teaser: Ava Duvernay’s Central Park 5 Netflix Show Named & Dated For May

The filmmaker had this to say about the project, “In 1989, five black and brown teen boys were wrongly accused of a crime they did not commit and branded The Central Park Five, a moniker that has followed them since that time. In 2019, our series gives the five men a platform to finally raise their voices and tell their full stories. In doing so, Korey, Antron, Raymond, Kevin, and Yusef also tell the story of many young people of color unjustly ensnared in the criminal justice system. We wanted to reflect this perspective in our title, embracing the humanity of the men and not their politicized moniker.”

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Read the synopsis of the series.

Based on a true story that gripped the country, “When They See Us” will chronicle the notorious case of five teenagers of color, labeled the Central Park Five, who were convicted of a rape they did not commit. The four-part limited series will focus on the five teenagers from Harlem — Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana, and Korey Wise. Beginning in the spring of 1989, when the teenagers were first questioned about the incident, the series will span 25 years, highlighting their exoneration in 2002 and the settlement reached with the city of New York in 2014.

“When They See Us” features an all-star cast, Michael K. Williams, Vera Farmiga, John Leguizamo, Felicity Huffman, Niecy Nash, Blair Underwood, Christopher Jackson, Joshua Jackson, Jharrel Jerome, Jovan Adepo, Asante Blackk, Chris Chalk, Justin Cunningham, Ethan Herisse, Caleel Harris, Freddy Miyares, and Marquis Rodriguez. The four-part series premieres on Netflix May 31.  Watch the full-length trailer here.