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For the Love of a Child

Name: For the Love of a Child
Director: Douglas Barr
Released: 2006
Duration: 80 min

Representation Score

4.8/10

Fair

2006

TV-14

Director

Douglas Barr

Runtime

80 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

For the Love of a Child explores the history of a major charity through a lens of social responsibility. It excels in depicting the exclusion of mixed-race children in post-war Asia. While the film highlights female leadership and trauma-informed care, it adheres to conventional dramatic formulas. The focus on Western institutions and traditional roles limits its critique of broader systemic issues. Ultimately, it is a period drama that prioritizes historical social issues over progressive narrative subversion, resulting in a moderate diversity profile.

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Category Breakdown

Does For the Love of a Child have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film does not include any LGBTQ+ characters or address non-cisgender identities.

How does For the Love of a Child portray gender?

Fair

Two actresses play key roles by founding a charity, showcasing strong female influence. However, their roles are traditional, focusing on nurturing and protection.

How racially and ethnically diverse is For the Love of a Child?

Good

The story focuses on mixed-race orphans in 1959 Asia, examining their experiences and systemic exclusion.

How does For the Love of a Child represent religion and culture?

Limited

The film emphasizes Western charitable organizations and structured care, highlighting established institutional frameworks.

Does For the Love of a Child include disability representation?

Fair

It addresses psychological trauma and invisible disabilities through characters like Jacob Fletcher, using animal therapy for mental health recovery.

Present on Screen

Offers a nuanced look at the social exclusion of mixed-race children in a historical context.
Highlights women's ability to drive the story through the founders of a significant social initiative.
Addresses psychological trauma and mental health recovery through the use of animal therapy.

Limited or Absent

Lacks any representation or engagement with LGBTQ+ identities or themes.
Relies on traditional Western institutional frameworks rather than critiquing societal structures.
Gender roles are confined to conventional nurturing and protective archetypes.

Official Synopsis

1959, support from US troops based in Asia and later from the Sates enables two actresses to start a charity for mixed-race 'orphans' who are locally neglected as outcasts. Thus originates Childhelp, which later runs multi-disciplinary centers for abused and/or neglected children in the States. Among them is bright Jacob Fletcher, whose stepfather, a lawyer, terrorized him into utter trauma and reclaims him shortly after 10 months in jail. Jacob's peers have distressing stories of their own, but competent, devoted staff helps most of them decisively on the former farm, using animal therapy.

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