(people.com) - Madonna said she found the controversy surrounding her adoption of David Banda from Malawi "painful," but added, "It made me stronger, so I guess I can't complain." Speaking after her documentary about Malawi, I Am Because We Are, premiered at the Cannes film festival Wednesday, Madonna, 49, noted, "When a woman has a child and goes through natural childbirth she goes through birthing pain - and this was my birthing pain." Malawi court officials said Thursday that the judge overseeing Madonna's adoption of David, 2, would make his ruling on May 28. Madonna's Malawian lawyer said that the singer and her husband, Guy Ritchie, are not required to be in court for the hearing. "There's nothing controversial about the adoption - there's just a lot of bureaucracy," Madonna said. "This adoption was the beginning of adoption laws in Malawi. I'm the template or the role model for future adoptions. Hopefully after we get through this it will be easier for other people to adopt." She paused and smiled. "I'm happy to be the guinea pig," she said.