Kadia Saraf Boards Jia Rizvi’s Documentary Sixteen Years as Executive Producer
Sixteen Years, a feature documentary directed by Jia Rizvi, examines the wrongful conviction of Jeffrey Deskovic, who at age 16 was convicted of the rape and murder of a high school classmate in a crime he did not commit. After spending 16 years in prison, Deskovic was exonerated through DNA evidence, raising urgent questions about the reliability of confessions, forensic practices, and systemic failures within the American criminal legal system. Since his release, Deskovic has gone on to free 15 other wrongfully convicted individuals, underscoring the broader impact of his case beyond his own exoneration.
The feature is derived from Rizvi’s award-winning short documentary Conviction, which premiered at the Greenwich International Film Festival and received numerous awards, further expanding the scope and depth of its original story. The short was released on Amazon Prime after its festival debut and earned Telly Awards for Best Documentary and Best Documentary Under $100,000.
Kadia Saraf has joined the project as Executive Producer. Currently starring in Dexter: Resurrection as Detective Claudette Wallace, and best known for her portrayal of U.S. Attorney Anya Avital on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Saraf’s work often explores the intersection of crime, psychology, and justice. With a background in forensic astrology and a deep interest in the investigative process, she brings a distinct lens to the film’s examination of accountability and truth.
“We often mistake differences in behavior for guilt. Preconceived notions, especially around neurodivergence, can be incredibly dangerous. This film is a reminder that perception is not proof, and the cost of getting that wrong can be devastating,” Saraf said.
Along with footage and recordings from the original investigation and trial, Sixteen Years features exclusive new interviews with individuals from multiple sides of the case, including Deskovic’s mother, high school classmates, Federal Judge Nina Morrison, New York Times reporter Fernanda Santos, his civil attorney, and others closely connected to the case—some of whom have not previously spoken publicly—offering a layered and deeply personal perspective on the events surrounding his conviction and exoneration.
Through artistic use of archival footage, case files, family photographs, and personal artifacts, Sixteen Years immerses viewers in the deeply personal dimensions of the case, adding visual texture and emotional resonance to a story spanning two decades.
“Sixteen Years begins as a story of injustice, but it ultimately becomes a study of resilience and the human capacity to reclaim one’s narrative,” said Rizvi. “Jeffrey Deskovic’s case exposes how fragile the system can be when institutions fail, but it also reveals the extraordinary strength required to survive it. This is not just a story about what went wrong—it’s about what it takes to endure, to fight back, and to be heard.”
Currently in distribution talks and represented by Buchwald, Sixteen Years traces the events leading to Deskovic’s conviction, including the original investigation, interrogation, and trial, as well as the long path to exoneration. Drawing on firsthand accounts, case materials, and contemporary reflections, the film examines how coercive interrogation techniques, flawed forensic assumptions, and institutional pressures can converge to produce devastating outcomes. The documentary situates Deskovic’s case within the broader context of wrongful convictions in the United States, where similar cases continue to raise concerns about due process, evidentiary standards, and accountability. Produced in partnership with the Innocence Project, Sixteen Years combines investigative storytelling and personal narrative to examine not only how these systemic failures occur, but why they persist.
Rizvi also recently inked a book deal for the project with Bloomsbury. According to Publishers Weekly, the book, Stolen Years, blends true crime, memoir, and investigative reporting to reveal the devastating human cost of wrongful convictions through firsthand reporting and personal experience, exposing the systemic failures that steal lives and the fight to reform America’s criminal justice system. Sixteen Years is directed and produced by Jia Rizvi. Kadia Saraf serves as Executive Producer.
