The arrival of a child is a mini revolution: it turns a household upside down. Valérie, Thierry, Steve and Richere have always dreamed of being parents. For them, adoption is the only way to make the dream a reality. Whether on their own or in a couple, achieving their goal has involved endless red tape, interminable delays and considerable expense. For the adoptive parents and adopted children alike, it’s the start of a new life.
For several months, we followed them through the adoption process, sharing their highs and lows, their doubts, their setbacks and their ultimate joy at finally becoming mums and dads.
Forty-two year old Valérie doesn’t think that being single will stand in the way of her adopting a child. After years of waiting and mountains of paperwork, she’s about to receive a 10-year-old girl, Fabiola, from Colombia. They will spend 3 weeks on holiday together in the Marseille region, a trial period after which Fabiola will have to decide whether or not she wants to be adopted by Valérie. Coming from different cultures, how will they communicate? Will they be able to bond? What decision will Fabiola make?
Thierry, an engaging bachelor from Poitiers, is also preparing for a life-changing event: the arrival of 2 children aged 9 and 10! He will also be taking a 3-week trial holiday with them, before joining them in Columbia in a few months time to adopt them, if the children so desire. Will Thierry be able to handle 2 children? How will he return to his single life and endure the wait until they make up their minds? We spent 8 months with Thierry, sharing his tears and laughter and the many ups and downs of the adoption process.
Married for 5 years, Steve and Richere, a couple from Quebec, are still crazy about each other. But their fairytale existence has been marred by their inability to have children. Their love for one another will prove invaluable as they go through the trials of the adoption process in the Philippines, where 2-year-old Naethann is waiting for them. What will they find there? Returning to Québec they’ll learn how to be parents, while Naethann will have to adjust to his new environment. From orphan to little emperor: how will he cope with being uprooted?
An exceptional documentary examining the innermost thoughts and feelings of a group of men, women and children embarking on a whole new life.