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TRE MAISON DASAN is an intimate portrait of three boys growing up, each with a parent in prison.
TRE MAISON DASAN is an intimate portrait of three boys growing up, each with a parent in prison. Directly told through the child's perspective, the film is an exploration of relationships and separation, masculinity, and coming of age in America when a parent is behind bars.
Tre, Maison and Dasan are three very different boys. Tre is a spirited 13-year-old who hides his emotions behind a mask of tough talk and hard edges. Maison is a bright eyed 11 year old with an encyclopedic mind and deep love for those around him. Dasan is a sensitive 6 year old with an incredible capacity for empathy and curiosity.
Their parents are not incarcerated for the low-level offenses that have become infamous in conversations around mass incarceration, but their histories and relationships beg many questions about justice and the lasting and rippling effects of a system at large.
94 minutes
SDH captions for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
Directed by Denali Tiller
Produced by Denali Tiller, Rebecca Stern, Craig Pilligan
Writer: Denali Tiller
Editor: Carlos Rojas Felice
Cinematography: Jon Gourlay
Composer: Gil Talmi
Music: Tre Janson, Dasan Lopes, Maison Teixe
A Hello World Production in association with Chicken and Egg Pictures, Shine Global, Sustainable Films and Pilgrim Media Group
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"Powerful and gripping...By centering the voices of these young people, the film brings to life elements of humanity often overlooked when considering the very real impact of parental incarceration. As you witness each child navigate and confront unfamiliar life circumstances, you will feel the intensity of their pain and anger, understand the source of their confusion and conflict, and celebrate their joy and excitement. This documentary is a compelling chronicle of the unheard voices of the children left behind."
Shenique S. Thomas, PhD, Assistant Professor, Criminal Justice Program, CUNY - Borough of Manhattan Community College
"Heart-rending...Fascinating and deeply touching...A remarkable film, powerful in its emotional content and profound in its criticism of a system that sets the next generation up for failure...Nonfiction filmmaking doesn't get much better than this."
Christopher Llewellyn Reed, Hammer to Nail
"Engrossing...Potent, sometimes wrenchingly intimate...This feature directorial debut is an excellent non-fiction drama."
Dennis Harvey, Variety
"Gripping...Offers a fresh and heartrending perspective...This picture opens our eyes to a social disruption that has been underexposed and that we all ignore at our peril."
Stephen Farber, Hollywood Reporter
"Gives a raw, in-depth look at the experiences of children with incarcerated parents. This documentary is a must-see to understand the extensive impacts of mass incarceration."
Breanna Boppre, Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice, Wichita State University
"Capture[s] some deeply emotional moments."
Andy Smith, Providence Journal
"This is not a 'homeless to Harvard' story, it's about more typical children who are living with a tremendous stigma and whose futures may not be bright. And the story may be a more common occurrence than many of us would believe."
Paul Parcellin, Film Threat
"Engrossing and illuminating."
Jay Seaver, eFilmCritic
"A miracle of documentary empathy, shot as if each of the three young protagonists - all struggling with parental incarceration - had a camera embedded behind his eyes. The film doesn't preach about mass incarceration, but it's impossible to watch these children suffer and struggle and love and not ask oneself if their pain is necessary for our collective safety. If you work with children affected by parental incarceration - and if you work with children in any role at all - you need to watch this film."
Nell Bernstein, Author, All Alone in the World: Children of the Incarcerated and Burning Down the House: The End of Juvenile Prison