Linda Goldstein Knowlton’s new documentary film Somewhere Between on the surface appears to be a story about adopted Chinese teenage girls who grew up in non-Chinese families in the USA. However, the complexity of this film is amazing especially considering the approach was a conscious decision on the part of the filmmaker. While the story could have been very mundane in telling the story of how these girls were adopted and where they are today, Linda chose very different families from very different parts of the country to highlight their experiences growing up and how very different each girls experience was, and yet how similar they seem to be when discussing their Chinese roots. For instance, one of the girls was raised in the south in a very white, Christian conservative household and was raised as a Christian and she even states that her religious upbringing was not just destiny, but that somehow she would have found Christianity no matter what…even if she never left China…that is in contrast to one of the other girls who was raised by a lesbian couple. And yet Linda never focuses on these glaring differences in upbringing in an effort to make this all about the girls which is one of the things that is brilliant about the film. Linda also doesn’t preach or showcase opinions of what is good or bad, better or worse about their upbringing and their connection or interest in connecting with their Chinese roots, again, so that the film can allow the girls to just speak.
One of the most emotional parts of the film is one of the girls quest to see if she can find her real birth parents, which is a daunting task considering the system of adoption in China. This leads to some very unexpected revelations about the system of adoption itself in China which adds another layer to the film that could be a complete documentary on it’s own. And while it would have been simple to wrap it up in a neat bow with some conclusions, instead the filmmaker leaves all of the questions hanging because the search for answers will be lifelong and she is perhaps telling the viewer that the complexity of this documentary should not be dumbed down to simple answers.
When we interviewed Linda, we asked about her personal connection to the documentary and she told us she did not want to be in the film, but she decided otherwise because friends told her it was crucial. They were right. While Linda’s appearance on camera is very minimal, it was necessary to bring a solid foundation for the film, and bring the beautiful life that is this film to a satisfying conclusion. The film premiered yesterday at the Los Angeles Film Festival and will be screened again on June 21st and 22nd. For details visit: Somewhere Between
Apology: We interviewed Linda Goldstein Knowlton about her film with the intent of posting that prior to the screening last night. Unfortunately a problem with the microphone connection left Linda looking beautiful without any sound. If we are able to get the opportunity to interview her again, we can bring you some of the great insights she had to offer about the film and its development.
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