My Kid Could Paint That - Preview
Preview by Jack Foley
THE 51st London Film Festival has played host to some fascinating documentaries this year (2007), including Michael Moore’s Sicko and Nick Broomfield’s docu-drama Battle For Haditha. Another memorable highlight was Amir Bar-Lev’s My Kid Could Paint That.
The film explores the story of four-year-old Marla Olmstead who, in 2004, rocked the American art world when a series of her paintings, exhibited initially in a family friend’s coffee house, drew comparisons with the work of Kandinsky, Pollack and even Picasso.
The Marla story was taken up by the New York Times, launching a media explosion and attracting collectors willing to spend thousands of dollars on these works from an inordinately gifted child.
But a 60 Minutes programme raised doubts about the authenticity of the paintings, suggesting that she was at the very least being heavily directed by her father Mark, himself a keen amateur artist.
And as quickly as Marla had been celebrated, her parents were accused of exploiting their daughter for money and fame.
Award-winning director Amir Bar-Lev follows the aftermath of these claims and the effect it had on the family, confronting his own doubts and suspicions in the process.
The skilfully crafted film that ensues is not only a thought-provoking examination of a possible child prodigy, but also a debate-provoking consideration of parental responsibility, media exploitation and the value of art.
The film is being released in UK cinemas by Sony Pictures in December and IndieLondon will feature a full review and interview with the director nearer the time. In the meantime, it’s a date that’s well worth putting in your diary.