Abstract:

The opening screen titles let us know that since China began its international adoption program, over 70,000 children have been sent to live in American homes. In this bird’s eye documentary we follow one family, the Sadowskys, as they bring home a second orphan from Guangzhou, China to Long Island, New York. Fang Sui Yong, a precocious and head-strong eight year old is forced to acclimate quickly to her new life as Faith Sadowsky. As she is older and very attached to her foster parents and sister, the transition is unbearable at times and Faith openly ponders why a white family would want to take someone from China into their home—a hard question for everyone with no easy answers. There are also moments of levity and true connection as Faith moves further away from her former life, begins to show affection and makes new friends. Director Stephanie Wang-Breal follows the family for nearly two years and becomes an active participant in the unfolding story. She manages to broach a very sensitive topic with tenderness and an appreciation for the steep learning curve of both parents and children as a new family comes into being.