Private Project

Adoption 30 years after

Zin (filmmaker) and Zinneke (actress) are two Korean adoptees in Belgium. In 1988, they made a short film ‘Adoption’ together.
One has since remained in Belgium, the other returned shortly afterwards to Korea to live there.
30 years later, Zin brings Zinneke for the first time to their homeland. Reflections on abandonment, maternity, roots and the right to know.

  • kimura byol-nathalie lemoine
    Director
  • Nathalie Lemoine
    Writer
  • sta kim project
    Producer
  • So Hee
    Key Cast
    "Zineke"
  • Sandy Pinteus
    Sound
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Runtime:
    18 minutes 4 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    January 28, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    20,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Belgium
  • Country of Filming:
    Korea, Republic of
  • Language:
    French
  • Shooting Format:
    HD
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Distribution Information
  • Centre Audiovisuel Simone de Beauvoir
    Country: France
    Rights: Pay Per View
Director Biography - kimura byol-nathalie lemoine

kimura byol-nathalie lemoine (키무라 별 – 나타리 르뫈 – 木村 ビヨル – ナタリー レムワンー) is a conceptual multimedia feminist artist who works on identities (diaspora, ethnicity, colorism, post-colonialism, immigration, gender), and expresses it with calligraphy, paintings, digital images, poems, videos and photography. kimura*lemoine’s work has been exhibited, screened, published and supported nationally and internationally. kimura*lemoine, as curator, has developed projects that give voice and visibility to minorities and as an activist archivist, ze is working on ACA (adoptees cultural archives) to document the history of adoptee’s culture through media and arts.

recipient of 2014-2015 Mentorship Program from Montreal Arts Interculturals and a 2015 Vivacité Grant from CALQl and the Prize PowerHouse from Gallery La Centrale and the 2017 doc residency ‘Regard sur Montréal‘ (CAM, NFB, ACIC), a 2018 CALQ Grant for zer writing essay project ’88 etc. In 2020, ze completed zer latest documentary Adoption 30 years after (with ACIC-ONF/NFB) and screen it zero show at Dazibao (Jan.–March, 2020, Montreal).

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Director Statement

In making this documentary on the actrice of of my first short film, I wanted to give her a voice to express herself about the adoption experience that is different that mine but in the same time very familiar. Meeting so many inter-racial adoptee who wonder about their birth land, being afraid of returning, having so many question, as I did as a teenager, I wanted to portrait with this documentary a journey of life that doesn't center adoptee as a child but as an adult. Reclaiming adoptee voice bu adoptee and not the medical (psychology) or adoptive parents as often we are 'framed."