User Reviews

I am an adoptive mother and memoirist, and just this week had the great opportunity to watch Chris Billing's remarkable film, Lost Sparrow. I cried for the lost innocence, the wasted lives, and the healings that took place as a result of the filmmaker's courage. Having set out to discover one truth, and uncovering another, Mr. Billing found the strength of spirit, and compassion in his artistry to tell the story he had to tell. Cheers to Chris Billing. I am grateful to him for shedding light, in such a sensitive and detailed manner, on the suffering that often takes place in families, foster adopted or not. You are a hero, Chris Billing. I recommend this film not only to those who are touched by adoption, but to all who are passionate about healing from past wounds. There is hope that truth and forgiveness can free us. And it is through films such as Lost Sparrow that we, as a culture, can move closer to full realization as human beings.

This film, though painful to watch, was brilliantly done -- uniquely moving and thoughtful, and beautifully executed; viewers are left aching for every member of the director's family. The larger issue at the heart of the film, child sex abuse, affects every culture, every community, and every country, without exception, and while we often choose to look away, 'Lost Sparrow' reminds us how this epidemic damages and often destroys the most vulnerable people in our midst. The cameras in this documentary are unflinching, owing almost certainly to the director's background in hard news. Highly, highly recommended, although I would caution parents against showing it to children younger than about 15. (Having read the previous review, I should add that I believe at least one of the director's biological siblings was interviewed as were both parents).