A story of one’s own | Adopted and uprooted ★★★

They are between 25 and 52 years old, were born in Korea, Brazil, Australia, Rwanda or Sri Lanka. Nothing unites them. Except their particular identity: that of having been adopted. And they tell each other.

Silvia Galipeau
The Press

Are adopted children really “lucky”? What if it was their parents who were lucky to have found a child? How do you deal with this feeling of uprooting that sometimes germinates over time?

These are all questions, and more, that arise over the course of the documentary feature film A story of its ownby Amandine Gay, who, for a rare time, gives voice to the main stakeholders in matters of adoption.

Born in Korea, but “built like a white child”, one would say; came from Rwanda, while “denying” his origins, will say a second. Or even adopted in Brazil, but with this constant fear of being abandoned, will say a last, frightening vintage drawings in support.

If the subject is certainly emotional, the director skilfully avoids tearfulness, as well as sensationalism, to give a rather political tone to the film. Forget the fantasy of reunions, it is rather a question here of north-south disparities and identity building in a context of inequalities. In its infinite complexity.

Here we follow each character, in turn and over time, from their adoption to today. While early childhood (and its “cocoon”) seems basically full of gratitude (“I felt like my parents had saved me from a rotten life”), it is with the years that the questions arise. . “We didn’t choose to be adopted…” And all the related questions.

To make her film, the director met a number of candidates, recorded hours of interviews, to finally retain only those who had enough archives. For good reason: the story has here, and as unique raw material, only these famous images. Nothing was filmed, everything based on these photos, videos and other drawings of the families, in addition to some media and historical archives. With, as sole narration, the voiceover of the five characters.

Audacious (perilous?) exercise in style, although done with skill. And above all sensitivity.

If we certainly get lost at times (who is speaking exactly, who is this child?), and despite certain lengths (more music would undoubtedly have given more rhythm to the film), the five voices actually end up speaking only of one. Leaving us with this disturbing unanswered question: “adopted” or “deported”?

A story of its own is presented at the Cinémathèque québécoise.

Documentary

A story of its own

Amanda Gay

1 h 40

★★★

Indoors