its a documentary film that follows a vietnamese adoptee's return visit to vietnam to "meet" her birth mother. she was part of operation babylift at the end of the vietnam war when thousands of babies were airlifted out of vietnam and placed for adoption around the world. her mother feared her life would be in danger because of her mixed race (her father was an american solider) so she choose to place her in the care of a family abroad. watching these mothers breaking down in tears while gripping their children before letting them walk onto a plane broke my heart. and i was frustrated that they felt this was the best choice that was to be made.
while i completely believe that adoption can be the best decision for some, adoption has become a business in some countries. the film makes note that some parents were being pressured into sending their children away. my only hope was that in the moment these adoption caseworkers truly believed this was what was best for the children. there was an element of uncertainty: once the war ended some were unsure what would happen to them and believed their lives were in danger while others wondered if they could actually care for their children.
the film takes you along for the journey of heidi returning to the land that had once been home. she experiences seeing her mother for the first time in 22 years, coming back home to where she had once lived, and meeting relatives she could have never imagined. while visiting heidi experiences highs and lows as she tries to understand who she is as well as who her birth family is to her. i have mixed feelings about how it ends. adoption is complicated and can leave many mixed emotions.
you should watch it and then tell me what you think.
