PBS's Independent Lens Acquires Broadcast Rights to Denali Tiller's Documentary TRE MAISON DASAN

The award-winning PBS series Independent Lens today announced that it has acquired Denali Tiller's documentary Tre Maison Dasan for its Spring 2019 season on PBS. An intimate portrait of three boys growing up with a parent in prison, Tre Maison Dasan provides a firsthand look at children struggling to identify themselves in a society that demonizes their parents, provides little support for their families, and assumes "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree." The deal was negotiated by Endeavor Content and Lois Vossen, executive producer of Independent Lens.

"Tre Maison Dasan reveals how our country's mass incarceration problem impacts entire families - especially the most vulnerable, children," said Vossen. "Intimate and accessible, it's also part of our ongoing series of films looking at criminal justice in America. We're proud to support Denali and the entire filmmaking team as part of our decades-long tradition championing women directors and producers to create gender equality behind the camera."

"I made this film in collaboration with Tre, Maison, and Dasan as it was important to me to center and empower the voices of the children directly," said director Tiller. "We are very excited to present Tre Maison Dasan on public broadcasting so that it can be accessible to communities who don't have access to other types of programming, including incarcerated populations in prisons and jails across the country. We are thrilled to be working with ITVS to bring this film, and the children's voices, to people and families affected by the prison system, and to those who hold the keys."

"Independent Lens's dedication to beautiful and impactful storytelling makes them the perfect broadcast partner for Tre Maison Dasan's uniquely patient and participatory filmmaking," said Rebecca Stern, the film's producer. "We are honored to bring to Independent Lens the first and only documentary about incarceration told through the eyes of the children left behind," said Craig Piligian, CEO of Pilgrim Media Group and producer of Tre Maison Dasan. "Not only are Tre, Maison, and Dasan's voices deeply affecting, they also bring a new and meaningful perspective to the vital discourse surrounding our criminal justice system."

An estimated one in 14 American children has a parent in prison. Tre Maison Dasan tells the story of three of these children, each from the small state of Rhode Island. Tre is a 13-year-old who hides his emotions behind a mask of tough talk and hard edges; Maison, a bright-eyed 11-year- old, has an encyclopedic mind and deep love for those around him; and Dasan is a sensitive six-year-old with an incredible capacity for empathy and curiosity. An emotional exploration of relationships tested by separation and the challenges of growing up with a parent behind bars, Tre Maison Dasan gives voice to the youngest victims of America's epidemic of incarceration.

Director and producer Denali Tiller is an artist and filmmaker named one of 110 "filmmakers to watch" by Variety in 2015 for her short film, Sons and Daughters of the Incarcerated, which grew into her feature documentary, Tre Maison Dasan. She has worked with the US Agency for International Development and has taught at the Rhode Island School of Design. Through her work, Denali is interested in empowering artists in systemic thinking, social justice, and activism. She is most passionate about children and youth advocacy, and how we raise boys in America.

Tre Maison Dasan is produced by Rebecca Stern and Craig Pilligan. It is executive produced by Andrew Freiband and Patty Quillin, co-executive produced by Andrea Van Beuren and co-produced by Susan Mclaury, Albie Hecht, and Sarba Das. Tre Maison Dasan is produced in association with Pilgrim Media Group, Shine Global, Chicken and Egg Pictures, and Sustainable Films. For more visit www.tremaisondasan.com and facebook.com/TreMaisonDasan.

About Independent Lens

Independent Lens is an Emmy® Award-winning weekly series airing on PBS Monday nights at 10:00 PM. The acclaimed series, with Lois Vossen as executive producer, features documentaries united by the creative freedom, artistic achievement, and unflinching visions of independent filmmakers. Presented by ITVS, the series is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people, with additional funding from PBS, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Wyncote Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts. For more visit pbs.org/independentlens. Join the conversation: facebook.com/independentlens and on Twitter @IndependentLens.

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