A Place Between - The Story of an Adoption
2007
1 h 14 min
Coming soon
In this film, a cross-cultural adoptee struggles to find balance between his families' different ethnicities and traditions and discover how and where he fits into each world. Following the tragic death of their younger brother in 1980, Curtis Kaltenbaugh, 7, and his brother Ashok, 4, were removed from their birth mother's care in Manitoba and adopted into a white, middle-class family in Pennsylvania. This film follows Curtis' struggle with his biological family's turbulent history and observes what happens when his biological and adoptive families finally meet.
Details
In this film, a cross-cultural adoptee struggles to find balance between his families' different ethnicities and traditions and discover how and where he fits into each world.
Following the tragic death of their younger brother in 1980, Curtis Kaltenbaugh, 7, and his brother Ashok, 4, were removed from their birth mother's care in Manitoba and adopted into a white, middle-class family in Pennsylvania. This film follows Curtis' struggle with his biological family's turbulent history and observes what happens when his biological and adoptive families finally meet.-
writerCurtis Kaltenbaugh
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directorCurtis Kaltenbaugh
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editorKenneth George Godwin
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narratorCurtis Kaltenbaugh
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cameraKeith EidseKenneth George GodwinAndrew LeeFred MislawchukClaude Savard
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location sound recordistJay GarukMarvin Polanski
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original musicGreg Lowe
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narration recordingHoward Rissin
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sound editorHoward Rissin
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online editorTony Wytinck
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re-recording mixerHoward Rissin
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production coordinatorMonique PerronRolande Petit
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program administratorCyndi Forcand
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marketing managerLeslie Stafford
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transcriptsPatricia Garry
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production supervisorScott Collins
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producerJoe MacDonald
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executive producerGraydon McCreaMichael ScottDerek Mazur
Education
Ages 16 to 18
Indigenous Studies - History/Politics
Indigenous Studies - Identity/Society
Indigenous Studies - Issues and Contemporary Challenges
Media Education - Documentary Film
Warning: Some mentioning of family sexually molestation and rape.This documentary can inspire research, discussion, projects and deeper learning in relation to cultural identity and the importance of truth telling. Research the history of child welfare in relation to Indigenous Peoples across Canada. What is the “Sixties Scoop” and how was it an extension of residential schools? What is kinship care? How can the denial of one’s cultural identity encourage socially destructive behaviours? If Indigenous children are being fostered into non-Indigenous homes, is it necessary for the new homes to foster a child’s original cultural worldview? Should families be required to learn skills that support a child through systemic racism and the denigration of Indigenous culture? Although the caregivers are well-intentioned, what could they have done to support their adopted children’s cultural identity and sense of belonging in their new community? Why is it important to hear first-hand stories, and how do documentaries support truth telling?
