Siberian Adoption Story

While China tops the list for the number of international adoptions by U.S. parents, Russia is a close second, with more than 4,200 children - mostly infants -  adopted by Americans in 2001 alone.   The process is lengthy and expensive. Adoption agencies tell prospective parents to expect to spend at least $25,000 for an international adoption, in addition to preparing hundreds of pages of notarized paperwork, undergoing in-house reviews and counseling, and typically making two trips to the birth country. 

Siberian Adoption Story follows two American families as they go through the process of adopting a new baby from Russia. 

Amy and Brett Turner of Fort Myers, Florida have two sons already, but they desperately want a daughter and have opted for adoption after enduring the heartbreak of multiple miscarriages.  Salli Sobsey, a single parent in Montclair, Virginia yearned for years to have a daughter after raising her two sons.

Both families make two trips to Siberia to meet their prospective adoptive daughters, and each faces a challenging moment when a crucial decision must be made.  From the excitement of anticipating a new baby to the worries and concerns of the unknown, the families experience laughter, tears, anger, and fear as they contemplate bringing home babies about whom they know very little.

Credits

Producer/Director: Jon Alpert, Matthew O'Neill
Editor: Michael Wei

Technical Details

2005, trt 43:34 min, English, Color