In the Philippines, the last country outside the Vatican where divorce is illegal, women in troubled and abusive marriages risk their lives for freedom.
TRAILER:
Password: UTK2025
SHORT SYNOPSIS:
“Untying the Knot” shows the fight to legalize divorce in the Philippines through the eyes of three women who are facing legal and social obstacles to break free from their abusive marriages.
We follow Grace, a domestic violence survivor who now leads a pro-divorce group in the country. We accompany Faith as she faces adultery charges 13 years after fleeing an abusive marriage. And we watch Mercy as she looks for ways to keep her children and her farm safe from her murderous husband. We see their struggles, the toll, and, with limited prospects and resources, how far they are willing to go.
GRACE
"I had to make a choice--it's either I kill him or I kill myself. For the sake of our children, it had to be him." -- Grace
For 21 years, GRACE (53) endured all manner of abuse from her husband. Despite the multiple times she ran to the authorities, nobody helped her. Her troubles were dismissed as petty couple squabbles, and her capacity as a wife was repeatedly questioned.
At a point of desperation, she thought that the only way to end her misery was to kill her husband.
Her husband eventually died of natural causes. And now, from her home in Manila, Grace leads the biggest pro-divorce group in the country. We see her take distressed calls from women trapped in abusive marriages, we watch her organize rallies with her pro-divorce group.
Despite the growing support, she faces harsh criticism from religious parties. As her group ramps up its campaign, Grace receives death threats and verbal abuse reminiscent of her past. We follow her as she faces these challenges and asks herself: is this crusade worth it?
Faith & CLAIRE
"They say divorce will ruin families but it's the absence of divorce that breaks us." --Faith
FAITH (43) travels to Cebu to appear in court. She faces adultery charges, 17 years after she fled her marriage. Adultery is still a crime in the Philippines–a crime that can, bizarrely, only be charged against wives.
She is accompanied by her daughter CLAIRE (16), who, despite her young age, has been Faith's main emotional support. In between court hearings and meetings with lawyers, they stay in a cramped motel room where they are confronted by their dire situation.
Faith recounts how it started. She fled her abusive husband after only five months of marriage. Then in 2018, for the first time in 13 years, she asked for child support. The husband ignored her requests, and instead, charged her with adultery.
Their savings are now depleted by the mounting legal fees. Their petition to dismiss the case is denied. Their last hope is for Claire's father to change his mind and drop the case. Seeing this, Claire visits her father whom she has not seen in years. Will she find a way to save her mother from six years of prison?
Mercy
“We’re still legally married. If he kills me, he gets the farm and the house.”--Mercy
On her farm, MERCY (53) lives in a hut with her four kids and two cats. It is easy to think she lives a charmed life. She has worked tirelessly since she was 19, and the farm and the animals she raises here are fruits of many years of being a migrant worker in Kuwait.
What is not seen in this idyllic picture, however, are the fears that keep her awake at night. Her husband is currently serving time for killing a man during a roadside brawl. When Mercy decided she no longer wanted to be with him, it prompted a stream of handwritten letters from prison: "I will kill you before you can leave me."
With news of his upcoming release, Mercy feels her husband is beyond stopping. Her only wish now is for her kids to be safe and for her farm not to end up with this man.
After hearing her troubles, her neighbor tells her about "special services" that would not let her husband see another day. Mercy initially thinks this is an outrageous idea, but she is reminded of what she might lose--four kids, a farm, and maybe her own life.
BACKGROUND:
Divorce has long been contentious in the Philippines. To date, it is the last country outside the Vatican where divorce is illegal. The Philippine Catholic Church, the most prominent opposition against divorce, takes particular pride in this status. According to them, divorce is "immoral, anti-family, and will only cause disorder to the society.”
Despite the holy preachings, one in three Filipino women has experienced spousal abuse—be it physical, emotional, or sexual. Philandering, bigamy, and fathers not providing child support are common in the Philippines.
Currently, the only loophole to escape a loveless marriage in the Philippines is arduous and unaffordable to most. Filing for an annulment, which is a declaration that the marriage is null and void from the start, can take decades to resolve and costs upwards of 5,000 USD—more than the average annual salary in the country. The most common causes of a marriage breakdown—domestic abuse, infidelity, and abandonment—are not considered legal grounds. As a consequence, most women stay in abusive households or flee without legally dissolving their marriages.
This unique predicament has given rise to unsavory underground trades. Annulment mills, which involve bribing court personnel to improperly settle annulment cases, have emerged. Scams offering quick results and fake certificates have cropped up. And for more desperate clients, hiring a hitman-- which is cheaper and quicker than going to court-- may feel like the only option.
ACCESS:
We have already gained access to the most active players in the fight to legalize divorce in the Philippines. We have been allowed to follow the biggest pro-divorce group in the country-- Divorce for the Philippines Now. The three protagonists have all confirmed their participation and have agreed to give full access to filming. They have signed release forms.
We have also received permission to follow Representative Edcel Lagman, human rights lawyer and member of the Philippine House of Representatives. He is the principal author of the absolute divorce bill that was refiled in July 2022. He gives us insights and front-row seats in the fight to legalize divorce in the Philippines.
ARTISTIC APPROACH:
This film weaves together two distinct threads that form the core of its storytelling: the fight to legalize divorce in the country and the personal battles of women who were, or still are, trapped in abusive legal unions. These two threads, which intertwine at times, shape the documentary’s plot and offer a distinct perspective on the issue of legalizing divorce in the Philippines.
The first thread captures the strategic moves, political debates, and grassroots activism that shape the trajectory of the legalization movement. Newsworthy events will punctuate this thread. Scenes featuring Representative Lagman and campaigners will help illustrate the historical significance of any developments.
The second thread delves into the personal journeys of the three women. It is a more intimate exploration of the impact caused by the absence of legal divorce in the country. Whereas the gaze in the first thread provides context and is public facing with a focus on Filipino society, the second thread serves as a counterpoint, grounding the narrative in the emotions of the individuals involved.
Stylistically, we will take an intimate and ethical verité approach—no more than two operating cameras mainly using natural light. We plan to combine observational filmmaking with the testimonies of the main characters. The camera closely follows the characters, observing their daily lives and interactions. We want to draw a personal and intimate picture of the women and the relationships they have around them. Sequences with their families, friends, lawyers, and even disapproving church leaders will help give a fuller image of their communities and, in turn, a mirror in which we can see our characters from a fresh perspective.
Interwoven with the main storylines, we will use personal archives of the characters (photos, video or audio recordings) to offer insights into their troubled past. By juxtaposing it against their present day situation we can recognise any transformation they might have (or have not) experienced.
Eventually, the stakes get higher as the story progresses. Grace receives threats from religious groups. Faith gets ready to face her husband in court. And Mercy has to make difficult decisions to keep her family and farm safe from her husband. The camera stays with the characters and creates an unobtrusive account of what they are going through. In the edit, shots linger on the characters for an extra beat or two; inviting us to delve into their inner world.
IMPACT:
Raise international awareness -- build international awareness of the plight of Filipino women who are trapped in abusive marriages due to the absence of divorce legislation in the Philippines.
Help campaign for divorce laws -- apply concerted international pressure on the Philippine government to implement legislative changes and allow for absolute divorce in the country.
Advocate for the repeal of laws that discriminate against women -- support calls to decriminalize adultery. Support initiatives that provide legal aid to women unjustly charged with adultery.
Support domestic abuse survivors—encourage the development of local systems, structures, and networks that provide mental, physical, and psychological care for domestic abuse survivors.
Encourage a change in perspective — help create a societal shift in attitudes towards domestic abuse. No more: “It happened because you’re not a good wife.” Make domestic violence unacceptable.
DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT:
As a Filipino woman, I am drawn to this story as I have witnessed first-hand the physical and emotional toll the lack of divorce in the Philippines has exacted. One in three Filipino women has experienced spousal violence — be it physical, emotional, or sexual.
My own family did not escape the implications of this no-divorce policy. I was already an adult when I pieced together that, although I grew up with a father, we were not his legal family; and thus, had no legal claim to anything upon his death. This explained the sudden financial difficulties our family faced after he passed away. My father, with or without intention, committed bigamy like so many other Filipinos who could not dissolve their first marriage. I realized then that the inability to divorce does not only affect unhappy couples, but also children who are unprotected because of this policy.
In a country with a population that’s 85% Catholic, it might be unpopular to question the Church’s teachings on the sanctity of marriage. But as I speak to more women who remain vulnerable in abusive marriages and unsupported in their communities, I am convinced that their challenges must be heard and must be better understood.
A recent survey reveals that 53% of Filipinos now strongly support legalizing divorce. Compared to only 43% in 2005, this represents a growing movement in the people’s fight for greater freedom of choice. There is both hope and urgency to tell this story, and I believe I am in a unique position to shed light on this moment of transition.
THE UTK TEAM:
CHONA M. (Director/Producer):
CHONA M. is a Filipino documentary filmmaker currently working between Manila and Berlin. She is keen on finding compelling ways of portraying the human experience, particularly those that touch on social inequality and cultural identity.
She finished her studies in Japanese language and photography as a Monbukagakusho scholar in Tokyo. Her first short film IN SANTA ANA won Best Film at the Sorok Short Film Festival and was nominated for Best International Short Film at the Melbourne Documentary Film Festival in 2018.
She has been a selected participant at Docs by the Sea, IDFAcademy, Dok Leipzig's Short n’Sweet, One World Media’s Global Short Docs Forum, AIDC's the FACTory, FIFDH's Impact Days, and the Scottish Documentary Institute. Most recently, she was awarded the Hot Docs CrossCurrents Int'l Grant and DMZ Docs Excellence Award for her project "Untying the Knot."
RAMZY HADDAD (Producer):
Ramzy Haddad is a documentary producer and director. He produced the Emmy-nominated feature "The Workers Cup" which premiered on day one of the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. Following a hiatus from producing independent docs to prioritize his family, Ramzy returned to produce "Becoming Iphigenia," his latest feature, which is scheduled to make its debut in 2023.
He is dedicated to producing and directing docs that put a human face on important social issues, exploring the experiences of those most affected. Ramzy's docs have been screened on the BBC, Al Jazeera English, CGTN, HBO, PBS, and Discovery.
ROSIE GARTHWAITE (Exec. Producer):
Rosie is the Executive Producer of Mediadante, an award-winning independent production company making films about the Middle East region for a global audience. She is producer of The Workers Cup which premiered on the opening night of Sundance in January 2017. In 2015, the International Emmy-award winning film Escape from Isis she developed for Channel 4 and PBS was referenced by the UK Prime Minister in a key speech and shown to the U.S. Congress. In 2014, she exec produced a CINE Golden Eagle award-winning series following the first Saudi woman up Everest. She is a former British army officer and author of the award-winning book How to Avoid Being Killed in a War Zone published by Bloomsbury in 2011.
ANNE SOBEL (Consulting Producer):
Anne Sobel is a producer with a track record of helping first-time filmmakers succeed. The Workers Cup, a feature documentary by first-time director Adam Sobel, premiered on Opening Night at Sundance and was nominated for an Emmy and a Critics Choice Award. Additionally, Anne achieved a lifelong dream of working with Kartemquin Films when she produced first-time director Hillary Bachelder's film, Represent. In addition to producing social justice documentaries, Anne recently created and wrote an Arab-language prestige drama for Netflix, The Exchange. This six-episode series is about two trailblazing women who disrupt the corrupt boys club of Kuwait's financial industry in the 1980s. The show is due out in early 2023.
ESTIMATED BUDGET:
on request: chona.films@gmail.com, ramzy@mediadante.com
PRODUCTION TIMELINE:
Research & Development: April 2021-September 2023
Production: November 2023- December 2024
Post-production: January 2025- December 2025
Premiere: Early 2026
SUPPORT FOR 'Untying the Knot':
There are a variety of ways to support 'Untying the Knot' and help us achieve our goals…
Production funding: Help us shoot in the field with Grace, Faith, and Mercy. Your contribution will cover everything from hiring a crew to booking budget flights and Airbnbs.
Post-production support: We are still looking for experienced documentary editors who can support us in working toward an assembly cut and eventually a rough cut by March 2025. Post-production funding will go to editing costs and simultaneous archival research.
Executive Producers: We are looking to engage with individuals who can mentor and support our production and connect us with key industry contacts who may guide as we prepare for festivals and distribution.
Outreach Partners: Untying the Knot can benefit from a variety of outreach partners such as educational institutions, nonprofits, community organizers, and social media influencers.
LABS & PARTNERS:
- Hot Docs CrossCurrents Int'l Doc Fund-- 2023 Grantee
- DMZ Docs Pitch (winner of Excellence Award)-- South Korea (September 2023)
- Australian Int'l Documentary Conference (AIDC)'s The FACTory (winner of Dok Leipzig Prize)- Melbourne, Australia (March 2023)
- Doc Edge New Zealand (winner of Docs by the Sea Award)—online (May–June 2023)
- DOK Leipzig Co-Pro Market -- Leipzig, Germany (October 2023)
- CIRCLE Women Doc Accelerator– Greece, Serbia, Italy (June 2023-January 2024)
- FIFDH's Impact Days - Geneva, Switzerland (January-March 2023)
- IDFAcademy - Amsterdam, Netherlands (November 2022)
- The Dhaka Doc Lab (winner of Doc Edge NZ Pitch Award)- Dhaka, Bangladesh (September 2022)
- The Scottish Documentary Institute Connecting Stories- Edinburgh, Scotland (June 2022-January 2023)
- One World Media's Global Short Docs Forum- London, England (October-November 2021)
CONTACT:
chona.films@gmail.com
ramzy@mediadante.com
+49 176 8764 1124 (Chona, Germany), +962 776092488 (Ramzy, Jordan)