One attorney turned screenwriter has a message he wants divorcing parents to receive when they are attempting to decide who should have primary care of their children. This man claims that he has seen the emotional harm that children can sustain while they are in the center of a custody dispute. The man is hoping that his new film may reach parents and other interested parties everywhere, including Maryland, before any lasting negative effects are felt by children of separating partners.
The filmmaker decided to approach his short movie as a documentary. He reportedly felt that this format would be able to convey his message more clearly to his target audience. His goal is to expose some of the misinformation that is out there concerning the impact that custody fights have on children.
His movie seeks to correct several misconceptions concerning how custody battles affect children. While a recent article did not go into details about what all of these misunderstandings are, one was the idea that children will not be unduly involved in the emotional turmoil of these disagreements. Supposedly, parents believe that it is up to a judge to shield children while the contentious issue is resolved. However, once a judge is involved, many children have already experienced many aspects of the emotional firestorm surrounding their parents’ divorce.
The film is scheduled to be shown in a theater in the man’s home state of Connecticut soon. It is his hope, though, that it may eventually be available to counselors and other professionals who may be involved in helping parents seek a peaceful arrangement before a custody dispute erupts into litigation. In the meantime, parents in Maryland may benefit from seeking alternative dispute resolution options, such as mediation or a collaborative effort, to resolve issues of child custody and related concerns in the midst of their emotional divorce proceedings.
Source: newstimes.com, “Film shot in Danbury highlights pain of child-custody battles“, Denis J. O’Malley, April 11, 2014