Filmanmeldelse: Amy eller Tigist? – en adoptionshistorie

Movie Report: Amy or Tigist? - An adoption story

Katrine W. Kjær is a document instructor and known for the film "The Adoption's Prize" (2012).

It is about the 4-year-old Masho and her 2-year-old little brother who are adopted away from Ethiopia to a family in Holbæk. The project does not go very well. Masho can't fall because the connection between child and adoptive parents fails and she ends up being sent to orphanages.

The fact that the case is so far from a single case of harassment is documented by a number of other adoption examples. One of them, Katrine W. Kjær has chosen to make another movie and given it the title "Amy's Will".

The story

The Ethiopian girl, Tigist, joins away with her little sister. The apparently single and poor mother of several children is ill and estimates that it is better for the two daughters to come to Denmark. The adoption agency has promised her that she can maintain a contact with the children. That promise should prove not to hold water.

The official information states that Tigist is 6 years old, but in reality she is 10 and has thus had the first 10 years of her life in her home country. When she comes to Denmark, she not only loses her family but also her name: Her adoptive parents insist on calling her Amy.

It goes completely wrong. Amy moves and instead takes care of another family, from which she, however, is being forcibly removed - much against her will. The causes are lost in the mist, but the new and very loving nursing mother suggests that the authorities are of the opinion that Amy will be in better hands with professional educators.

Forced removal, however, takes such dramatic dimensions that the Ombudsman enters the case with the result that Amy is allowed to return to the foster family.

Amy, however, continues to suffer because she is so longing for her original family in Ethiopia: her mother, grandfather, and not least Sister Beti.

The film follows Amy's struggle to have the adoption lifted so she can go home to Ethiopia. When the refusal falls, she decides to go back anyway. Amy has a strong will.

Danish:

Filmanmeldelse: Amy eller Tigist? – en adoptionshistorie

Mennesker januar 24, 2019

Katrine W. Kjær er dokumentarinstruktør og kendt for filmen ”Adoptionens pris” (2012)

Den handler om den 4-årige Masho og hendes 2-årige lillebror, der bliver bortadopteret fra Etiopien til en familie i Holbæk. Projektet går mildest talt ikke godt. Masho kan ikke falde til, fordi tilknytningen mellem barn og adoptionsforældre mislykkes, og hun ender med at blive sendt på børnehjem.

At sagen så langt fra er et enkeltstående skræktilfælde dokumenteres af en række andre adoptionseksempler. Et af dem har Katrine W. Kjær valgt at lave nok en film om og givet den titlen ”Amys vilje”.

Den etiopiske pige, Tigist, bliver sammen med sin lillesøster bortadopteret. Den åbenbart enlige og fattige mor til flere børn er syg og skønner, at det er bedre for de to døtre at komme til Danmark. Adoptionsbureauet har lovet hende, at hun kan bibeholde en kontakt til børnene. Det løfte skal vise sig ikke at holde vand.

De officielle oplysninger lyder på, at Tigist er 6 år gammel, men i virkeligheden er hun 10 og har altså haft de første 10 år af sit liv i hjemlandet. Da hun kommer til Danmark mister hun ikke bare sin familie, men også sit navn: Hendes adoptivforældre insisterer på at kalde hende Amy.

Det går helt galt. Amy flytter og kommer i stedet i pleje hos en anden familie, hvorfra hun imidlertid bliver tvangsfjernet – meget mod sin vilje. Årsagerne fortaber sig i tågerne, men den nye og meget kærlige plejemor antyder, at myndighederne er af den opfattelse, at Amy vil være i bedre hænder hos professionelle pædagoger.

Tvangsfjernelsen antager imidlertid så dramatiske dimensioner, at ombudsmanden går ind i sagen med det resultat, at Amy får lov til at komme tilbage til plejefamilien.

Amy lider imidlertid fortsat, fordi hun længes så frygteligt efter sin oprindelige familie i Etiopien: Sin mor, morfar og ikke mindst søster Beti.

Filmen følger Amys kamp for at få adoptionen ophævet, så hun kan rejse hjem til Etiopien. Da der falder afslag, beslutter hun sig for alligevel at tage tilbage. Amy har en stærk vilje.

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