Tune in to PBS tonight for Off and Running, a film about lesbian parents raising a multiracial family. It’s part of “POV Adoption Stories,” itself a subset of the POV (Point of View) documentary series. If you can’t catch it tonight, it will be streamed on the Web for three months starting tomorrow.
I haven’t seen it yet myself, but here’s from the marketing information:
The films explore the challenges of adoptees forging new identities while holding on to their cultural roots. . . . The film premieres on PBS on Tuesday, Sept. 7 at 10 p.m. (check local listings) In addition the TV premiere, POV will be streaming Off and Running in its entirety beyond the broadcast, from Sept. 8 — Dec. 7 at www.pbs.org/pov/video to commemorate National Adoption Month in November. You can find embeddable trailers, art, press releases and more at www.pbs.org/pov/pressroom.
Off and Running, by Nicole Opper, is the story of Brooklyn teenager Avery, a track star with a bright future. She is the adopted African-American child of white, Jewish lesbians. Her two brothers are black and Puerto Rican and Korean-American. Though it may not look typical, Avery’s household is like most American homes—until Avery writes to her birth mother and the response throws her into crisis. She struggles over her “true” identity, the circumstances of her adoption and her estrangement from black culture. Just when it seems her life will unravel, Avery begins to make sense of her identity, with inspiring results.
If you do watch, leave a comment and let us know what you think!
Trailer after the jump:
I had seen this film at the Denver Jewish Film Festival several months ago and I even got to have dinner with the filmmaker afterwards. I thought it was really well done! I look forward to hearing what others think.
I thought it gave great insite and perspective from the childs point of view. Raising bi-racial children I often wonder where their feelings on in regards to their culture and feelings of abondonment. The film was done well and kept the interest of my 17yr old son also. Well done.