Search - National Geographic - China's Lost Girls on DVD

Pretty good

DKDC | Washington, DC USA | 03/03/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"(I did not see this dvd but saw the TV presentation. I am assuming the dvd does not have extra footage, which may be an incorrect assumption.)

I personally enjoyed it as an adoptive father of a girl born in China. In fact we met our daughter for the very first time in the exact same room shown on this video in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province. How could I not like this?

They did a much better editing job on their footage than I did on my footage!! But I still like my video better :)

Especially moving to me is the mother who puts up a poster proclaiming to whoever might see it (hopefully the birth mother) that the girl she adopted is doing fine. Then a discussion ensues with local people. I wish I could find my daughter's birth mother.

Also moving is the footage of the foster mother sobbing because the adoptive mother did not bring the girl to see her one last time. I understand why the new mother didn't bring her - it would have been VERY painful one more time for her daughter - but it made me think of the kind looking woman who raised our daughter for the first year of her life. We have a few pictures of her and my daughter but were unable to meet her or to contact her - still to this day.

They could have added so much more, as the first reviewer said, but for what it is - it is good. Kind of glossy and feel good and cable channel quality - but still good - it does in fact hit the painful issues of previous mothers and the problem of the lack of girls in China and what that will mean in the near future for Chinese society.

Some of my fellow adopters had strong feelings about parts of the movie - the footage of the foster mother in particular. But, I don't remember their points well and would not want to speak for them.

And I agree about the Lucy Liu comment being innappropriate - especially considering this footage was professionally edited with a person of Chinese descent in charge! Oh well. If Ms. Ling didn't mind - should I?

All in all - if you are considering adopting from China - well worth the look. Not real deep but interesting."

Leaves context unexplored

Mern | Los Angeles, ca USA | 02/04/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Well made, but curiously doesn't explain the "why" of the Chinese-girls-for-adoption phenomenon, namely China's strictly enforced (by coerced abortion) one-child per family policy and the strong cultural preference for boys because elderly parents live with and are supported by a son's family, not a daughter's. Thus a girl is an investment that never pays off, and the parents fear destitution in their old age.

They might alos have mentioned that the common alternative to adoption is selective abortion or infanticide. You would think Natonal Geographic would be more interested in the repurcussions of social structures and government ideology."

A Good Look at the Conclusion of the Adoption Process

Palmer Muntz | Fort Wayne IN | 04/11/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This DVD is polished and interesting to watch. It is a great tool for showing people why one might want to adopt from China and what the process looks like when it's all done. (It doesn't represent well the 12 months or more of preparation, paperwork and expense that led up to receiving a little girl.)

I could argue pro's and con's with the other reviewers about some of the faults they found in the program--and it certainly isn't a perfect product--but I think the producers did a very good job within the constraints of the medium and time alloted. I would highly recommend this DVD to anyone who is interested in the subject of adoption from China."

If adopting must see

adopting0506 | CA | 11/18/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"My husband and I are in the middle of the adoption process and are going through China. The dvd made it more real to us watching the other parents get their children. Also it made me see the reality of it. Not all peaches and cream. Because you see the children screaming when they are handed over to their new parents it was very scary but then a few days later the child is in the hotel room looking like a normal child with her new parents. So I could see that it is a tough transition but the child adapts easy. But now I will expect the screaming. A friend gave us the dvd and we have shown it to other friends so they know the reason we are doing this and a little about what is going to happen."