Nearly a decade before data confirmed that children of lesbian mothers thrive, this groundbreaking documentary showcased this vital truth. Largely shot in the San Francisco Bay Area, the film explores the diverse experiences of eight families facing custody battles, legal scrutiny, and widespread societal bias. Through tender interviews and intimate footage with the parents and, most poignantly, their children, this documentary offers a heartrending portrayal of parental love, challenging stereotypes and normalizing an exceedingly valid family model. 

Newly restored by the UCLA Film & Television Archive, In the Best Interests of the Children is a film “about who lesbian mothers and their children really are,” portraying the diversity of experience, race, and class among its eight families.