Waited For interweaves three stories of South African lesbians who adopt across racial lines. The film explores the ways in which these families challenge and are challenged by the traditional hierarchies of race and heterosexism that are still deeply entrenched in the South African psyche.

Leigh Anne is mixed heritage (what was called “colored” under apartheid), and Kelly is white. As soon as they try to adopt, they’re informed that as a same sex couple adopting transracially, they are last in line to get a baby—after heterosexual couples, couples who adopt same-race babies, and single adopters. Paula is a recovering addict who runs a construction company. She is white and tries to raise her black son, Matteo, in a multiracial environment. Although he has other role models, Paula is concerned Mateo will never really be accepted by the black community. White parents Pip and Lee are raising two adopted black daughters. Pip is from New Zealand and would like to move the family back there. Lee would rather the girls grow up in a country where they live among other black people. Strikingly complex, personal choices have public consequences for these families who simply wish to overcome the hurt of homophobia and apartheid.

Preceded by

And I Am Me

And I Am Me is an honest and touching portrayal of the relationship between a lesbian mother and her adopted Ethiopian son.