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Smile Boston Project: Press Kit

Newsworthy
The film premiered at the 16th Woods Hole Film Festival on August 4, 2007 where it won the award for Best Short Documentary. The film was awarded "Best Regional Film" at the Northampton Independent Film Festival in November of 2007.

Contact
Contact David Tames by calling 617.216.1096 or sending an e-mail.

Photos Available

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David Tamés, Producer, Director, Smile Boston Project, photo by Bob Daniels

  		Bren_Bataclan-1.jpg
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Bren Bataclan, the subject of the film Smile Boston Project, photo by David Tames, this image appears in the film.

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Bren Bataclan, the subject of the film Smile Boston Project, photo by David Tames, this image does not appear in the film.

  		Smile-Boston-Painting.jpg
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Smile Boston Project painting, by Bren Bataclan, painted to commemorate the completion of the film, this image is used on this web site and will also be used on the DVD cover.

Filmmaker Bios
Bios for David Tames (Producer/Director), Elissa Mintz (Editor), and Colin Owens (Composer) are available in the filmmakers section of this site.

Director's Statement
I have known Bren Bataclan, the subject of this film, for a long time. We first met at the home of a mutual friend of ours in the fall of 1998. I was always taken by his genuine warmth and compassion. When he took up a brush and started painting his characters several years ago, I could see that Bren the person finally made it onto the canvas. I was taken by the energy and sincerity of his work, so I started shooting video of him leaving paintings for people to find in Harvard Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts. I original thought I'd shoot a single interview and make a very short portrait of Bren and his work at a single moment in time.
 
But as the project grew, and Bren continued to evolve as an artist, I realized there was more to do. Three years later, I had enough material to weave together this film. "Smile Boston Project" only captures one aspect of Bren's work, as his project has gone global, and he's about to publish a book. However, by focusing on the genesis of "Smile Boston Project," and the beginning of Bren's career as a known artist, I hope to share with you the amazing person behind the work.
 
Part of my motivation for doing this film is to explore a counter-intuitive aspect of Bren's career: the more he gives away his paintings for free, the more successful he is as an artist as he sells in Cafes, Galleries, Open Studio events, and getting commisions. His career follows the pattern of a pay-it-forward scheme. The film acknowledges the controversial nature of his approach, some say it's just a marketing ploy. Some question whether what he does is art or not. In the end, the viewers of the film can decide for themselves.
 
I've spent most of my film career working as a cinematographer, editor, media technologist, and teaching others the art and craft of media production. I have learned a lot along the way from teachers, directors, and collaborators. Working on my previous documentary "Remembering John Marshall" with Alice Apley and more recently "Smile Boston Project" have been part of a turning point as I now produce and direct my own work, a journey that started with "Destiny," a short 35mm narrative film completed in 1999. It's very satisfying making small films.
 
David Tames, August 2007.