Waubonsee Community College

Why can't we be a family again?, produced and directed by Roger Weisberg and Murray Nossel

eng

videorecording

For College; Adult audiences

Why can't we be a family again?

electronic resource

747798714

produced and directed by Roger Weisberg and Murray Nossel

27

Shot over a three year period, this emotionally wrenching story reveals the bond that develops between two brothers who long to be reunited with their mother. Despite the neglect and disappointment they suffer, these extraordinary boys never give up hope that they will some day live with their mother and be a family again. This powerful new film chronicles the mother's agonizing battle with crack addiction and the grandmother's struggle to keep the family together.Strengthened by the love of their grandmother and a unique family support organization called the Center for Family Life, fourteen year old Danny and eleven year old Raymond cope with the pain of their mother's repeated attempts to overcome addiction and regain their custody. In one particularly poignant scene Danny reveals how his mother left the boys to fend for themselves when they were ages two and five. After the food ran out, the boys made a harrowing journey on foot and bus to their grandmother's house.When The Family Court threatens to terminate the mother's parental rights after still another failed attempt at rehabilitation, the boys impress the judge with their deep desire to keep the family intact. This powerful portrayal of a family torn apart by addiction will resonate with social workers, counselors, family therapists, and those training in the helping professions

general