On 12th June 2009, Malawi's Supreme Court of Appeal overturned an earlier ruling and granted Madonna's adoption of Mercy James. Ahead of the verdict presenter and journalist Jacques Peretti travelled through Malawi to find out why Madonna's bid to adopt Mercy has polarised opinion both in Malawi and around the world.
Madonna's lawyers were successful in their appeal when Malawi's Supreme Court upheld her application for adoption. This documentary looks at the future for Mercy as she prepares to move to New York with the pop star and asks what's best for Mercy. Should she have stayed in her orphanage in Malawi?
Prior to the latest ruling Peretti spoke exclusively to Mercy's father, James Kambewa, as well as her grandmother Lucy, who originally opposed the adoption, and her uncles, who signed the legal papers supporting it.
Peretti seeks to understand the complexities of this moral minefield and also speaks to the Executive Director of Madonna's charity Raising Malawi, which is based on Madonna's commitment to Kabbalah, and visits the orphanage where Mercy was placed.
Peretti follows events across Malawi as they developed, as one child's life hovered between privilege and poverty.
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On TV
First Shown
| Date | Time | Channel |
|---|---|---|
| Monday 29 June 2009 | 8PM | Channel 4 |
Last Shown
| Date | Time | Channel |
|---|---|---|
| Monday 29 June 2009 | 8PM | Channel 4 |
