Falsified birthdays, smuggled DNA tests, women’s prisons!
George Barbakadze and I discuss that uneasy floating feeling of pre-search life, the joys of a successful DNA result and anticipating a future of wrestling with identity issues.
I loved speaking with George. He story demonstrates persistence despite many obstacles. Somehow he has remained through it all a very nice guy. Inspiring!
George was born in Saint Petersburg, Russia, in 1974.
In 1976, he was adopted from a Saint Petersburg orphanage by a Georgian family and raised in Georgia (the country) as the only child of his adoptive parents. When George was nine years old, his father passed away. Despite the secrecy and the “don’t ask, don’t tell” family policy surrounding his adoption, George’s relationship with his mother remains the most sacred to him.
In the 1990s, George earned his MFA from the Georgian State Academy of Arts and worked as a producer for state television. In 2000, George was forced to leave Georgia and immigrated to Australia, where he was granted gay refugee status. While in Australia, he studied filmmaking and wrote and directed his first short films. Since 2006, George’s films have been showcased at film festivals worldwide, earning numerous awards. Since 2015, George has lived and worked in Los Angeles, California.
While traveling the world and living in different countries, George hoped to find a place where he truly belonged. Yet, everywhere he went—including the country where he grew up - he was constantly asked, “Where is your accent from?”
A 25-year-long, frustrating search for his birth history and biological family eventually led him to confront two important questions: “What if this is it? What if this is as good as it gets?” Answering these questions helped George redefine his sense of identity and belonging, change the narrative and allowing him to move forward with acceptance.
This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice.
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