Least Said, Soonest Mended

Synopsis

Through telling the story of my own family and that of my twin sister in particular, this film explored coercive policies towards ‘unmarried mothers’ in the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s, which were aimed at persuading young women to relinquish their babies for adoption by married couples unable to have children. Such policies were common in countries such as Britain, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, affecting over a hundred thousand women in those countries and, by association, half a million families.

Impact

The impact of the film was in its telling of one deeply felt story spanning 40 years, from the perspectives of all sides – those of the relinquishing mother, her family, her daughter and her daughter’s adoptive parents. It cannot be said that the film changed social policy because that had already changed but it did have a big impact on audiences and in particular, on women and families with similar stories.

The film was presold to SBS TV and was also picked up by TV in New Zealand. Its broadcasts and screenings brought considerable correspondence to my sister Val and much feedback from audiences at screenings. Many women who had been through the horrendous experience of relinquishing a baby for adoption, often in circumstances of complete secrecy, came forward to say how cathartic it was for them to see their own experiences played out on the screen in this way.

Welfare organizations and adoption activists in Australia and New Zealand obtained the film for educational purposes and the film won a United Nations Association of Australia Media Peace Award for ‘raising awareness and understanding of women’s issues’.