Sharing the Love tells the story of a pregnant Wellington couple who intend to give their newborn baby to relatives in Queensland. Will they get cold feet? Will they be able to go through with the handover?
Welcome to the full-length version of Sharing the Love, the debut documentary by Rochelle Umaga.
It's about Whāngai, the Māori custom where a child is brought up by someone other than their birth parents – usually another relative.
The powerful and thought-provoking film is about Riann and Tumatauenga Umaga-Marshall, whochoose to whangai adopt their fourth child to Riann's brother and his wife, who have been trying unsuccessfully for a baby for 13 years.
It follows them during the latter stages of pregnancy and in the aftermath of the birth. Will they get cold feet? Will they be able to go through with the handover?
