Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival 2009

The Klein-Clouds aren’t like most other Brooklyn families. Model student and track star Avery is African-American, and on a trajectory to attend college on a scholarship. Her adoptive parents are white, Jewish lesbians. Rounding out the family are two adopted brothers: one mixed-race, the other Korean. Raised with dignity and love, the children are comfortable with themselves and their Jewish identities.

But when Avery, with her parents’ encouragement, attempts to learn more about her biological mother, it sparks an identity crisis. Avery is articulate but has trouble putting her voyage of self-discovery in perspective. She becomes more distant from the family and drops out of school. Her mothers are at a loss as to how to reach her. The revelations and tribulations force Avery and her family to examine what it means to be an African-American girl who’s been raised Jewish. This gripping and honest portrait grows ever more suspenseful and emotionally resonant as it follows Avery’s quest to rediscover not only herself, but also the family that was there all along.

Copresented by Jewish Family Service