“Birth of a Family” in National Film Board of Canada – St. Thomas Libraries Blog
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“Birth of a Family” in National Film Board of Canada

The current National Film Board of Canada subjects featured include World War II, hockey, vignettes, cultural diversity, land claims and rights, and endangered species. These are just some examples of the many forms of media and subject matter found on the NFB website, with topics relevant globally.

Three sisters and a brother, adopted as infants into separate families across North America, meet together for the first time in this deeply moving documentary by director Tasha Hubbard.

Removed from their young mother’s care as part of Canada’s infamous “Sixties Scoop”, Betty Ann, Esther, Rosalie and Ben were four of the 20,000 Indigenous children taken from their families between 1955 and 1985, to be either adopted into white families or to live in foster care. As the four siblings piece together their shared history, their connection deepens, bringing laughter with it, and their family begins to take shape.

Why I Loved It: This feel-good film pulls at your heartstrings in all the right ways. A group of siblings who had been separated for over 50 years had the opportunity to reconnect and begin to build their family. One moment that was particularly touching was when all four siblings gathered around a portrait of their mother who passed away, but in the words of Betty Ann, “she’s here with us, and she’s just so happy,” or their laughter as they tried to fit everyone into a selfie. This film draws you into the siblings’ lives and reunion, making me reflect on my family relationships with increased gratitude.

By Sophia Wolf

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