 Anne
is one of us
Care
and treatment of people labelled mentally retarded has changed radically
over few decades. Until recently, it consisted primarily of incarceration
in institutions where various attempts at "cures" were made.
But it can be different. Anne Pot is a 27-year old dutch woman born with
Down's syndrome. She grew up in Holland with her family, went to regular public
schools, and then moved with her mother to France. Anne is now bilingual and
lives in a group home in Pierrelatte. She works in a center for people with mental
handicaps where she met her boyfriend Alain. "Anne is one of us" is a remarkable
52 minute portrait of Anne Pot made by her brother Leendert Pot. The documentary
includes conversations with family, teachers, childhood friends, and - of course
- Anne herself.
Glimses of Anne's daily life are juxtaposed with footage from old home movies
of Anne as a child. Anne's mother, Judith von Wandruszka, emerges from the portrait
as a strong-spirited woman. In coming to grips with her daughter's mental handicaps,
she resolved to provide Anne with as rich and fruitful a life as possible, despite
the obstacles posed by conventional wisdom on the subject.
Speaking in a voice laden with emotion, Anne's mother says: "In retrospect,
I think it's almost a blessing to have a retarded child. All my other children
have their own lives now. Anne still needs me. And now that I'm old, I need her
almost as much."
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