My Happy Complicated Family

Teenagers Isa, Dylan and Isabel have all acquired an extensive, exceptional family through their parents’ choices. They speak excitedly about the double families they are now part of, about extra mothers and stepmothers, donor fathers, half-brothers and stepsisters. Fairy tales have given stepmothers a bad name, and Isa thinks this isn’t fair.

Director Tessa Louise Pope made a name for herself in 2016 with her graduation film The Origin of Trouble, about her own complex family relationships. In My Happy Complicated Family, she tackles the theme of modern families in an unconventional, unusually optimistic way. Of course there have been problems, and sometimes there are feelings of guilt, but these three girls also see a lot of benefits. They’re proud of their complicated families, and a film like this is a good opportunity to tell their parents about it.

This film is part of the IDFA Junior program and will be screened in Dutch.