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Download our free e-book, Talking Sense: Have Hard Political Conversations, Better, and learn how to talk without the tension.

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St. Paul, Minn.

October 18, 2007 3:00 PM

'My Kid Could Paint That' - or could she?

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Marla paints — Marla Olmstead at work. Marla and her family are the subject of "My Kid Could Paint That" which examines what happens when a 4-year-old's paintings begin selling for tens of thousands of dollars.
Image courtesy Sony Pictures Classics

Amir Bar-Lev's life changed the day he heard abstract paintings by a 4-year-old girl were selling for thousands of dollars.

He thought examining Marla Olmstead's story might make for a good documentary about how people decide the value of a piece of art, and whether the fact it's done by a child makes it more valuable.

But Bar-Lev soon found he'd got more than he bargained for.

Amir bar Lev — Amir Bar-Lev started to make a film about the value of art, but his film "My Kid Could Paint That" is an examination of art, the media, and a film maker's responsibility to a subject.
MPR photo/Euan Kerr

Then the Olmsteads suddenly became the center of an international media backlash. Bar-Lev's film about what happened, called "My Kid Could Paint That," opens locally this weekend.

He told Minnesota Public Radio's Euan Kerr some people are enraptured by Marla's huge colorful abstracts.

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1 of 1

Marla paints — Marla Olmstead at work. Marla and her family are the subject of "My Kid Could Paint That" which examines what happens when a 4-year-old's paintings begin selling for tens of thousands of dollars.
Image courtesy Sony Pictures Classics

Turn Up Your Support

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all.

Dear reader,

Political debates with family or friends can get heated. But what if there was a way to handle them better?

You can learn how to have civil political conversations with our new e-book!

Download our free e-book, Talking Sense: Have Hard Political Conversations, Better, and learn how to talk without the tension.