A Journey in My Mother's Footsteps

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12/05/2011 My opinion of the film differs quite a bit from the Times reviewer. I went in to watch a documentary about a humanitarian woman I had recently been told about, namely Jessie Rosenmeier. Not knowing anything about the daughter or her profession, my focus was predominantly on the altruistic motivations, thoughtful actions, energy and sacrifice that characterize truly respectable doers. In other words, I walked away thinking more about the person portrayed in the film, the mother, rather than analyzing the film's quality, literary value, or agenda. It is because of this perhaps that I found myself disagreeing from many of the points raised in the review. For example in the scene after the visit to disabled toddlers, the tears in Dina's eyes meant, to me, that she was moved in some way and began to understand her mother's drive to serve, rather than "openly crying for herself." I also think it is somewhat discrediting to summarize the work done by Jessie Rosenmeier as an "interest in adorable children" or a "vanity project." For a Westerner to take frequent trips into a disorganized bureaucracy-laden country like India, adjusting to simpler living conditions without the usual first world comforts, raising funds and leading the construction of residential quarters for orphans, filing loads of paperwork to get 400 neglected children adopted into Denmark, and most of all earning the respect of coworkers in that foreign country, is no vanity project. In summary, go in without the perspective of flaw finding and you might just get inspired by watching the story of a noble woman. Sumeet Verma, MD See more 12/05/2011 I saw A Journey in My Mother's Footsteps at the Chagrin Documentary Film Festival in Cleveland, OH. It won the HUMAN SPIRIT AWARD at this festival. This film touched my soul deeply. It artfully conveys the importance of education for the millions of poor children in India. And it tells the story passionately through the voice of Dina Rosenmeier, the daughter of Jessie Rosenmeier. Jessie has devoted much of her life to helping these children. My husband I are flying to NYC tomorrow to see the film again. We wouldn't do this if we didn't think the film is fabulous. I question whether the Village Voice and New York Times critics really saw the film. Their depiction of the film's flaws are grossly inaccurate. I encourage everyone to see this moving film to learn how they can help the many poor children of India. I also encourage the New York Times and the Village Voice to question their critic's reviews of the film. Carole Richards Chagrin Falls, Ohio See more Read all reviews

A Journey in My Mother's Footsteps

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