"I Am Ready, Warden" is nominated at this year's Oscars for best documentary short film. Directed by Smriti Mundhra, the documentary is a raw and unflinching 34-minute journey that follows inmate John Henry Ramirez in his final days, counting down the moments before he is executed for a murder he committed back in 2004.

The film recounts that fateful night in Corpus Christi, one that forever altered the lives of so many, including Aaron Castro, the son of Ramirez's victim. Castro was just a teen boy when his father was taken from him and, tragically, at the time of Ramirez's pending execution, Ramirez's own son had also grown into a young teenager of the same age.

We spoke with the film's director Mundhra and producer Maya Gnyp about their experiences capturing such a layered story of immeasurable loss, and what finding justice means to the families whose lives are upended by the murder of a loved one. The conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.

What was your biggest fear heading into this project, and what helped you overcome it?

SM: Making sure we balanced the story in a way that felt fair. When you're telling a story about a deeply traumatic event, and you want the audience to empathize with both sides, the challenge is ensuring that creating empathy for one doesn't feel like a betrayal of the other. That was my biggest concern — finding a balance that acknowledged both perspectives without diminishing the pain either side experienced.

Jan Trujillo, Ramirez's prison godmother is such an interesting figure. What it was like filming her?

MG: We met Jan Trujillo because she was John's godmother. She travels from Pastor Dana Moore's church at least once a month to visit the person she was paired with, and she'd been seeing John for about 10 or 11 years.

As a foreigner, she felt like the embodiment of Texas to me; so warm and welcoming. She was really our guide to John's world. From a production standpoint, she was an invaluable connection. Since we were based in LA and filming in Texas, she was often our first point of contact if we needed to schedule something or reach someone. She trusted us and believed in what we were trying to do.

Documentaries often serve as vehicles for change. What instances do you think best capture who Ramirez and Castro are as real people?

SM: For John, the moment that stood out was when he was asked if he had ever written to the Castro family. He shared that as part of a faith-based program, he had an assignment to write a letter to his victim, Pablo Castro.

When he spoke about that letter, he broke down in tears. He acknowledged the life he had taken, and expressed deep remorse. But, he also recognized that if that night had never happened, he wouldn't have had his son or been forced to leave the toxic environment he grew up in — where he was both a victim of violence and perpetuating it. In a tragic way, being incarcerated gave him the space to change. When John said he was grateful to Pablo for giving him a second chance at life, it was deeply moving and complex.

For Aaron, it was the moment after he heard the words, "John Henry Ramirez is dead." He took a long pause, before breaking down in tears. Instead of feeling closure or justice, he felt the weight of another lost life — another child without a father. That moment spoke volumes about his empathy.

As our executive producer Sheila Nevins put it, this film is about the idea of "an eye for an eye" — but in the end, the person who sought justice still feels like they killed someone. That's the weight Aaron was carrying."

Filming in such a highly regulated environment must have been difficult. What was the most challenging scene to arrange? Did Texas law hinder your production?

MG: There were definitely strict parameters around filming. Fortunately, one of our producers, Carrie Blackinger, is a journalist who covers death row in Texas, so she already had relationships with the prison's media department. Her knowledge was crucial in navigating the process.

We could only film with a death row inmate once every six months, which meant our time with John was very limited. On execution day, there were strict rules about where cameras could be — we couldn't be in the death chamber or even in certain areas nearby. While we weren't looking to film inside those spaces, the restrictions dictated how we could capture the story and required careful planning.

What's one moment — on or off camera — that will stick with you forever?

SM: For me, it was screening the film for Aaron Castro for the first time. Even though he was a willing participant, and we had a great relationship, you never know how someone will react after seeing themselves on screen, especially in such vulnerable moments.

Watching it with him, he was silent for a long time afterward. But when he finally spoke, he said the film accurately reflected his emotions and mindset at the time. Over time, as he's watched it again, he's shared that seeing his experience contextualized in the film has actually been healing for him. That's the best thing you can hope for as a filmmaker.

MG: For me, it was filming John's final goodbye to his son, Izzy. I had just become a parent at the time, so witnessing that moment firsthand was incredibly powerful. It was one of the most emotional scenes I've ever filmed, and it's something that will stay with me forever.

Are you worried about the skepticism viewers will have surrounding this story?

SM: This film isn't about easy emotions. It's about our shared humanity. It asks us to look at two people from completely different backgrounds, connected by tragedy, and see their humanity.

If two people like John and Aaron, who had every reason to hate each other, could find their way to understanding, I think that speaks volumes about what we as a society are capable of. I hope people take that lesson from the film.

"I Am Ready, Warden" is now streaming on Paramount Plus. Check out the official trailer below.

[All images courtesy MTV Documentaries]