Found in China

Since the early '90s, Americans have adopted nearly 70,000 Chinese children. With thousands of them now at an age to appreciate returning to the homeland, heritage tours have brought adoptees and their families to China, presenting an unequaled opportunity for bonding and sharing identity issues. "Found in China" follows six Midwestern families as they observe contemporary trends and ancient Asian traditions in both urban and rural contexts.

The 80-minute documentary focuses on the 9- to 13-year-old girls and how they attempt to fit together the puzzle pieces of their pasts.

The impact that this trip makes on the children and their parents cannot be underestimated. It provides a foundation for additional dialogue and emotional development. Because Chinese adoptions are not "open"--birthparent records are not kept because it is a crime to abandon one's child--few details can be found about an adoptee's background.

Occasionally an adoptee can visit with foster parents or the person who discovered the child and took her to an orphanage. But most find little in their orphanage files.

"Found in China" captures the spontaneity of the children seeing China for the first time since leaving the country as infants or toddlers. The documentary reveals their thoughts about their orphanages, caregivers and the foster families.

The possibilities of searching for birthparents is explored by tour participants, with insights from older Korean adoptees and adoption specialists including Sara Dorow, PhD, best known for her book, "When You Were Born in China."

Filmmaker Carolyn Stanek adopted two Chinese daughters in the early 1990s and thus the documentary includes scenes from their orphanage, Jiande, in Zhejiang province. Other stops on the tour included Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu, Hangzhou, and Shanghai for Stanek's family. Scenes from Nanchang and Changsha were also contributed by another family. Stanek's background includes being a reporter for the Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette, a journalism instructor, and author of a book about Title IX (Contemporary Books). She then obtained an MBA from the University of Chicago which enabled her to become a stock analyst for a couple decades.

Returning to her love of journalism, she took filmmaking classes while researching and preparing to produce "Found in China." Music featured in the documentary is from Jonathan Rickert of Berkeley, CA. His rhythms combine the rich lyricism of Asian influence along with downtempo electronic music.

Nell Bryden, a Brooklyn-born vocalist and guitarist, sings "Goodbye" for the closing credits. San Francisco street musician Michael Masley plays his cymbalom (a Hungarian-styled dulcimer) throughout the terra cotta soldiers scene.

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I was expecting something else

That video didn't do it for me. I found the subject was treated in a shallow way and I was expecting a little more depth.
Suzanne September 7, 2008

Found in China

Thank goodness we watched this movie before our adopted 5y/o saw it.We purchased this movie thinking it was going to be a "travelogue" for kids returning to China. It was much more intense. I think it should be just seen for the adults in her life contemplating on whether or not to return to China and if we do what should we expect from ourselves and our child. The movie shows the girls and their families on a return trip to China on a group trip with an agency specializing in trips for adopted children returning to China. The questions the movie helps parents to consider are 1) whether or not you and your child are ready to take the trip to china 2) what issues may you and she have to deal with when you are in China such as: a) transracial adoption b) China's one child policy c) idea of "abandonment".etc
This travel agency took with them an asian social worker who help the girls deal with their issues they faced on their return trip to china
as some girls a) visited there finding place b) met with their caregivers/foster parent/nanny c) met the person who found them d) visited the orphanage to see other children waiting for forever families e) how internal their connection with China really is f) would they be able to find their birthmom while in China etc.
Be ready to think about these issues prior to making this visit to China as the movie goes on to show the parents and their children at home in the USA after their visit from China. This movie get you thinking about good topics to help you make a decision on that return trip to China. July 17, 2008

Highly recommended

As a parent of a 10 year old chinese daughter I would highly recommend this dvd. I previewed it and then decided it was completely appropriate for her to see. After the video she was full of questions and we had a great conversation about the trip that I want to take her on when she is 12. I had actually been planning on waiting until she was 15-17 but have since changed my mind after watching the video. A MUST see for anyone with an adopted Chinese child thinking of visiting China. Well done. March 31, 2008

Found in China DVD is well worth watching.

This DVD was exactly what I was looking for. As the parent of a child adopted from China, it was wonderful to see other adopted Chinese children the age of my daughter visiting their homeland eight or ten years after coming home to the US. I was stunned to see a family I know well in part of the DVD, which made it extra special. I plan to watch this multiple times and hope my daughter will learn to love it as well. Found in China. It was very well done. Thank you for this excellent documentary. March 31, 2008

Done well and with heart

Definitely worth buying for anyone interested in the subject of kids adopted from China returning for visits to the land of their birth. In this documentary, the parents, kids and learned commentators all have thoughtful things to say, and the kids are really charming. March 28, 2008

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