Anthony Jones knew he wanted to be a director long before he understood what a director actually did. What he did know — even as a kid — was that he wanted to tell his own stories. “I knew that I wanted to be a director before I knew exactly what a director was,” he said. “But I also knew that to be that I wanted to be able to tell my own stories.”
Last weekend, Cinema St. Louis announced that his film Heroes Among Us: Kid Electric had won the Essy Award for Best Showcase Film — the top prize at the 26th Annual St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase. The award includes a $1,000 cash prize and an automatic slot at the Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival in November.
The Showcase drew 3,188 attendees across two weekends, highlighting films with St. Louis ties and honoring actor Lou Diamond Phillips with a Career Achievement Award. Jones’ film was selected from dozens of entries across genres. For a first-time festival entrant, the recognition was overwhelming.
“I could not believe that any of this would happen,” Jones said. “This is what every filmmaker dreams of… I poured so much of myself into this film, and it’s getting the recognition it deserves.”
Kid Electric follows a young hero who views the world with innocence and optimism — a reflection of how Jones once saw things himself. “He’s quirky, he’s a little bit innocent, and he sees the world in a beautiful light,” Jones said. “He’s somebody that knows the world can be better, and he wants to be a part of keeping it that way.”
The film blends comic-style narration with live action, mirroring the character’s worldview. Jones said the story grew out of his own transition into adulthood — and the realities he encountered along the way. “The film is essentially me going out into the world and learning about the world,” he said. “It’s about Kid Electric learning what it actually means to be a hero.”
Jones said he wanted to create characters who reflect real people — including those dealing with depression, anxiety and the pressure to fit into expectations. “A lot of the things we are dealing with now is mental health,” he said. “You never really see heroes deal with that… and that’s the total opposite of what I want to do.”
Jones hopes audiences see Kid Electric as proof that St. Louis filmmakers can tell stories as powerful as those created by directors brought in from out of town. “The filmmakers here have just as much to say,” he said. “There are people here that will tell amazing, beautiful stories — me being one of them.”
He wants viewers to walk away inspired not only by the film, but by the community that helped shape it. He hopes that they enjoyed the film enough to want to see more from the St. Louis-based or St. Louis native filmmakers.
Jones also hopes Kid Electric’s journey resonates with anyone who has ever felt boxed in. “I hope people can see his story and know that you don’t have to be stuck in the barriers that people put you in,” he said. “It’s okay to make mistakes along your path… you can still be the thing that you want to be.”
Jones said choosing hope has shaped his own life as much as it shapes his film. “I think choosing hope gave my mom a child she can be proud of,” he said. “And it gave my girlfriend a partner she can trust and believe in.”
He believes hope is the most heroic act of all. “Choosing to be better is always the hardest option,” he said. “But it’s the option you’ll want to go down in the end.”
For Jones, winning the Essy Award marks a turning point — not just in his career, but in the story he has been writing for himself since childhood.
“I’m 30 years old. I directed Kid Electric, which was something that was completely mine,” he said. “Even if nothing else happens in my career, at least I can look back and say that the little boy who loved superheroes and comics is having his film showcased.”
All award-winning films from the Showcase — including Heroes Among Us: Kid Electric — will screen at the 35th Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival November 5–15. For more information about the festival, visit www.cinemastlouis.org.