MY FLESH AND BLOOD is a riveting and at times heartbreaking film that follows singlemother Susan Tom of Fairfield, California and her 11 adopted special needs children - fromback to school haircuts to school dances, from holidays to hospital visits and summer road trips - at a time when one of her children is threatening to tear the family apart.
Once married and the mother of two "homegrown" sons, Susan is both a Mother Teresa and an ordinary woman. Among her children are Faith, severely burned as an infant in a crib fire; Xenia, born without legs; and Anthony, born with a genetic disease that causes his skin to blister with the slightest touch. All are flourishing in surprising ways despite their physical disabilities. It is Joe, who suffers from Bipolar Disorder and Cystic Fibrosis, that is Susan's greatest challenge.
A realistic, sobering, yet also incredibly inspiring look at a year in the life of a truly unique household, MY FLESH AND BLOODexamines the way one unconventional family draws strength from their struggles and reveals how parents like Susan are filling the gaps in an increasingly overwhelmed and under-resourced foster care system.
"An extraordinary portrait of a woman and her found family. The human drama - joy, rage, sorrow, unrealistic hopes - among these siblings blows away just about anything the [Sundance] festival's make-believe tales can muster."
- ASSOCIATED PRESS
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