Somewhere Between is a documentary that you feel, not just watch.

I found myself emotionally participating in these young ladies’ journeys of self-discovery. The exploration process of a transracial adoptee is life-long and this film poignantly shares tidbits of that experience from four perspectives.

While this film connects those in the adoption community, it also demonstrates everyone’s needs to feel connected and rooted. Learning about where you come from and accepting how you got where you are today, can be a critical equation to where you go from here.

Although this film focuses on four young ladies born in China, the issues they explored can be transferable to many adoptees and their families regardless of type of adoption, ethnicity, culture or race. The life-span events addressed in this film represent a profound expression of typical (and healthy) feelings of adoptees. The range of emotions Somewhere Between sweeps you through leaves you with questions and hope.

As an adoption professional, I was encouraged that adoptive families have this vehicle to witness what their children may face as they mature enough to verbally express their emotions and identity.

As a transracial adoptee, I was encouraged that our youth have faces and voices to parallel their faces and voices.

The title of this film wraps up the common feeling of adoptees who struggle to find their place of comfort between families, countries, cultures and even within themselves. A special thank you to the young ladies who vulnerably and eloquently shared pieces of their journeys… and to their parents who support their voices.

Jaclyn Skalnik, MSW Adoption Professional and Transracial Adoptee