I don’t normally review movies on this here blog. In fact, I can only think of one (though I could be wrong) and that was the live-action Cinderella, for which I had to deeply apologize after I’d actually seen it because “happily ever after” was NOT the theme of that movie!
But last night Drollery and I went to see Lion with Dev Patel, Nicole Kidman, and David Wenham and I am compelled to write a wee bit of something about it on here.
In case you’re not familiar with the movie yet, it’s about five-year-old Indian boy Saroo who gets lost on the streets of Calcutta, India thousands of kilometers from home. He survives many challenges before being adopted by a couple in Australia; 25 years later, he sets out to find his lost family.
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This movie hit very close to home for us as our daughter Stefanie Kavitha is from Bangalore, India. But for the grace of God her story was very different from Saroo’s. Still there was much in the movie that was also the same. I am normally the soft-hearted one who cries every time I see the Beauty and the Beast (being released March 27th, btw) trailer, but last night Drollery cried through the entire movie.
As for me, one thing in the adoptive mother’s story caused me to gasp. When she was ten or twelve (can’t remember) Sue Brierley had a vision of her life. She was standing looking out at a field when she saw a small brown child running to her. She made a decision that when the time came for a family, she would adopt a child. The movie explained it well. The reason it so struck me was because when I was three my favorite doll was a dark-skinned baby. It made me wonder if other adoptive parents have had similar experiences.
I also left the movie feeling vindicated about something. When Stef was in her early 20’s she went to India with friends. One of the places they went was
Bangalore, where she was from. It was my fondest wish that she try to locate her mother while she was there, but she was very much against the idea. Though I let it drop since it was her life, not mine, I’ve always felt a deep sense of regret that she didn’t try to find Pushpa and her older brother. Everything in me wanted her mom to see what a wonderful woman she’d grown into. Some of my friends thought it was very odd that I’d feel that way, so I was surprised and relieved to hear Saroo’s mom say the same thing in the movie, though in the interview below she says she did fear he would be disappointed.
In 2015 62,988 children disappeared from the streets in India. This movie shows what some of that looks like. We are so blessed here. If a child is lost or found not knowing where their parents are, there are agencies to step in and help. Not so much in a country with 1.2 billion people. I think everyone should see this movie.
This is a video of the real Brierley family. And, btw, the name of movie comes from Saroo’s name which he had been spelling wrong. His name was Sheru, the Hindi word for LION.
Clare said:
I can only imagine the impact this story had on you and Sir Drollery. When I get settled, this is THE movie I’m going out to watch. I’m refusing to read any comments here for fear of spoilers, but know that I already believe there is a very distinct possibility that I will cry all the way through it. (Btw: ‘Studio 10’ here in Australia is the best morning program – not that I watch it, but sometimes I put it on for background noise.)
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calensariel said:
Whatever you do, Clare, don’t watch the interview video. Spoilers abound!
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Clare said:
🙂 I won’t and I hope to head off to see it early next week. I think I need a little time out from organising the new home.
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doodletllc said:
A lovely movie review, Calen. International adoption…so very near and dear to our hearts as well…funny, but I thought once the adoption was finalized, all the talk of adoption would fade away within our family…but it hasn’t…in fact, it comes up all the time, not in a bad way…more of in an informational way…putting the pieces of the puzzle together. I’m not sure our girls will want to go back to find birth parents. But I know I will support any decision they have. I love seeing the photos of your daughter and her beautiful family.
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calensariel said:
Yes, we’ve found that adoption is an ongoing dialogue around our house, also. Like you guys we have gone out of our way to keep Stef aware of her country’s heritage. But now that she has seen in the first hand for a month, we don’t talk a lot about that anymore, but adoption comes up as she and Jesse wish to adopt at least two children from another country. Six kids? I think the woman is nuttier than a fruitcake. I know I had a hard time with just two. But more power to her. She and Jesse have a lot of love to go around. 😀
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Soul Gifts said:
I bought this book when it was first published some years ago. It’s a powerful read. Interestingly, Marc, who has never shown much interest in wanting to know about his birth country and background, devoured the book. Well, most of it. His story is very different. Father unknown. Single mum, gave him up (abandoned him?) at birth. Not possible to trace them. No other known history. He was raised in a good Foundling Home in Calcutta for 5 months at which time he was escorted home to us, weighing 3.5kg. He will be 30 this year. We are so blessed to have had the honour to raise him as our son.
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calensariel said:
I guess I ought to get that book. Did they actually adopt a second son? I ask because they never mention it in the interview above, yet there is a second son in the movie. Stef was 7 when her mom, a mute, put her in Child Find, Holt International’s orphanage. She has a brother named Raju who had been placed in an apprentice program. Pushpah worked in a factory and did sewing, but she couldn’t take care of the kids. Stef’s dad had been killed in a motorbike accident. It was Stef’s grandmother who incited Pushpah to take out a warrant for our arrest…
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Soul Gifts said:
I must go and read your adoption stories. You have mentioned before how hard a time it was for you. I didn’t know you’d had a warrant out! It’s been a while since I read the book, so I’m not sure what other kids they had.
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calensariel said:
Oh yes, we were wanted for kidnapping in India… Holt said it was the messiest adoption they’d ever handled. Some college kid there told Stef’s grandma (who they lived with) that Americans buy kids to harvest and sell their body parts. Pushpah really freaked and went to the police. She had gone back to the orphanage to get her but Joe had already picked her up and was on a plane. It was kind of a mess.
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TheFallibleQueen said:
I loved this movie, it deeply resonated with me. I’m glad you were able to see the movie and it resonated with you too. Sadly, too many children end up lost, I’m glad this movie brought awareness to such a dark issue.
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calensariel said:
It was so amazing that his mother always felt he’d find his way home and so she never moved. 25 years is a long time to wait and not move on with your life. It’s an incredible story. I’m glad you liked it. Thanks for stopping by, Ms. Queen. 😀
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TheFallibleQueen said:
That’s how I felt too, it’s amazing her faith that he would find his way back to her &Anytime 🙂
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Judie Sigdel said:
I just read your post and watched the TV interview and I’m feeling quite emotional. I can’t imagine how you must have felt in light of your experience. Thank you for sharing it with your readers. ❤
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calensariel said:
I wrote about the whole thing, how things kept going wrong when I was taking Blogging 101 on here. It’s under “Choosing Adoption.” I think there are four posts and an epilogue. But we were pretty much shielded from a lot of the reality of the situation for kids there. I can honestly say the movie was pretty confrontive for me.
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Judie Sigdel said:
I will check out those posts. My husband is from Nepal and we looked into adoption while we were there many years ago. They make it next to impossible for people to adopt. It’s a long story. Perhaps I’ll tell it sometime.
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calensariel said:
I would love to hear about it. India closed the country to international adoption ten days after we got Stef here. Btw, Raili Tanska who you’ll see around on here also has two adopted boys. It’s been really cool to share stories with her.
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Soul Gifts said:
Our oldest son, Marc, is from Calcutta. India was re-opend to international adoption after negotiations which required children to be escorted to the adoptive parents in their own country. Our youngest son, Christopher, is from the Philippines. Each country has its own set of rules and requirements. It makes the journey ‘interesting’ to say the least !
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calensariel said:
I always wondered what the deal was with them closing international adoptions. We were lucky to find Holt. They fully escorted every child to the US. This is a picture o Stef and her escort, Joe Hindeman at the airport in Portland.
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S. Thomas Summers said:
I gotta see it.
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calensariel said:
It’s a heart breaker…
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Hélène/Mother Willow said:
I happen to see this incredible movie last week. It was very moving and left me in tears. What incredible life story about your adopted story and her own life. Thank you for sharing such beautiful life treasurers with us.
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calensariel said:
I’m so glad you saw it. I hope lots of other do, too. People need to be aware of all the lost children…
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