Daddy & Papa

Toward the end of this unflinching exploration of American gay fatherhood, filmmaker Johnny Symons wonders what will be the biggest challenge for his young son Zachery? Will it be having two fathers? Or being adopted? Or growing up black in what Symons intimates is a racist society? Symons' questions get to the heart of this insightful documentary that grapples with the complex emotional and cultural barriers facing gay parents and their children. Symons and his partner, William, were inspired to explore this topic after learning that a mutual friend, Kelly (a single, gay man), decided to adopt biracial brothers who were about to be separated under foster care. Symons additionally turns his camera on Doug, a friend (also single and gay) who was approached years earlier by a troubled African American coworker who asked him to take care of his son, Oscar; and on two gay men, now separated, who are parents of a daughter conceived through a surrogate mother. In each of these cases, Symons interviews the fathers, the children, and their extended families, addressing the complexities of surrogacy, biracial adoption, single parenthood, divorce, and the politics of gay life, touching on the many moral and legal issues without overshadowing the universal themes of parenthood and family. Wise, honest, and provocative, this intimate look at the state of gay fatherhood at the dawn of the 21st century is highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (A. Cantú)