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My name is Sami Khan, I'm a Brooklyn-based filmmaker and the director of KHOYA, a fiction feature film about a man who, after the death of his adopted mother, travels from Canada to India to desperately search for the birth family he's never known and to discover the mysterious circumstances surrounding his adoption.
You can view the trailer here: [url]https://vimeo.com/57223672[/url]
The film was inspired by my own experience searching for my brother who was put up for adoption before I was born. His existence was kept from me until I was an adult.
I've been a member of these forums for the last few years and they've been a tremendous resource to me personally as I went through the process of searching for my brother.
I just wanted to let everyone on here know about the film. My deep desire for the film is that it helps those affected by adoption, especially adoptees, overcome the shame and stigma that can sometimes be tied to these issues. Ultimately, after viewing the film, I hope you feel a little less alone during what can be a difficult and lonely process.
The film is in postproduction and should be done by late 2013.
I would love to hear from you. You can contact me anonymously via PM on these forums.
More links on the film:
[URL="https://www.facebook.com/khoyathefilm"]facebook.com/khoyathefilm
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[url=http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1331021416/khoya-a-feature-film-in-post-production]KHOYA - A feature film in post-production by Sami Khan[/url]
[url=http://www.gunstreetmedia.com/khoya/]KHOYA - Gun Street Media[/url]
My twitter: @samikhanfilm
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Sami, I enjoyed the preview and look forward to seeing the movie. You have a great talent in film making it appears. I am "mammaw" to two beloved children in state care, who probably have been adopted out by now. I grieve for them, as I did not have the means to bring them 'home' to at least my familiar family. I am praying the foster / adoptive parents will have it in their heart to allow us some sort of interaction, have written them to ask, recently. Such situations seem to hold heartache for all involved. Thank you for making such a film. I'd like to see a film that addresses needs for changes in law, as they could pertain to foster children being assured of better care, and foster parents - the truly good ones - being better rewarded - while abusive ones are quickly removed from the system. All the way around there needs to be improvement in the foster care / adoption system, so that these children do not somehow feel like they are of some less class of human. Thank you, and keep up your great work!!!
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thanks so much for the comment mbethT and sharing your story. it takes alot of courage to do so.unfortunately many of these issues are considered taboo by society so there is great reluctance to address them. hopefully that will change as filmmakers like anne fessler step forward to tackle these issues.thanks again for your thoughts - really appreciate it.
Hey Sami, I saw your post about the upcoming movie.I was sold into adoption through the black market in the mid '30's. My search has gone on for 60 years without finding any family.Any aspects of the film that focus on the devastation surrounding adoption would be helpful.I wish you the best/
You're welcome, Sami, and thank you. My sister went to India following her husband's unexpected death, and the Tsunami that hit that country. She wanted to try to help orphaned children there, and I believe, did volunteer her time and attention. When she returned home to the states, she spoke of exactly the "problem" you posted about (above). That needs more public awareness!!! And I fear, foster-to-adopt movements here in the states could lead to something along those lines, if even legal, where interests of something other than the children's long term mental and emotional health - perhaps even physical in some instances - becomes all too common. I know that a CW broke the law in our case, based on an attorney stating as much. Please continue to post about any films, film makers, ect., who may be involved in making positive changes for these children. It is so needed.
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i will beth. i most definitely will. thank you once again.i know from personal experience how difficult and stubborn some people can be when addressing these issues. i hope that because of the discussion that people like you are sparking, that we will move beyond petty notions of shame and be able to honestly address these issues.
I complain here, but honestly, I wouldn't know how or where to begin to advocate so that it might help do some good. Sadly, I doubt that the voice of one opinionated person (me) can do much against the power (laws) that are in place. For example, in the state of Ohio grandparents have next to no rights when it comes to their grandchildren. And when that child is lost to permanent state custody they have no rights at all. It doesn't seem right that just because the parents screwed up the grandparents should also be denied any contact, unless they are able to take custody, (and in some cases, like mine, no matter the love and want for the child, that isn't always possible). I don't see the harm in allowing grandparents rights to continued visitations. Especially when, from what I've read of studies, open adoptions are of actual psychological benefit to the child, as they help the child feel wanted, not entirely abandoned. I'd like to see grandparent rights to visitations legally mandatory in cases where the grandparents are decent, and the court has ruled to terminate parental custody in favor of granting the state permanent custody. Too many foster children are never adopted, anyway. Yet grandparents are nevertheless prohibited from interaction with the child, the same as the offending parents. At least in Ohio, we aren't even allowed to know whether or not the child has been adopted. I'd like to see a movie where grandparents take on that issue and triumph. LOL.