In November, 2003, Talking to the Wall: The Story of an American Bargain, premiered to a standing-room only audience at the Northampton International Film Festival. Since then it has continued to gain momentum, playing in local theaters and colleges, and always drawing a crowd. The film was booked in two theaters during the month of March; a BBC film crew covered the opening night of a week's run on March 19th. One movie reviewer wrote an 1,800 word rave of the film, stating, "This film proves Alves has already raised his voice loud and clear, and his position in the front ranks of the [contemporary international activist documentary] movement is already established. Talking to the Wall is one of the key films of the year...filmmaking of the highest order."

Naturally, I am pleased by these words and hope that it will lead to broader distribution of my film; the reality is, I'm just getting started. The Story of an American Bargain is the launching of a complex story I am beginning to unravel: the creation of an American consumer culture dominated by fewer, larger corporations, and the effects on jobs, communities, and the environment. Although I've made other successful documentaries, this is the first one in which I establish my own voice. By the positive response, it's an effective way to speak to average people about critical social and economic issues--issues which get virtually no attention from the mainstream media.