Divorce continues to be illegal in the Philippines, despite any continuing efforts to lobby for a divorce to pass through Congress. What’s more, the Philippines is the only country in Asia where a married couple cannot file for divorce. But in the upcoming documentary Divorce Resort, a 72-year-old Filipino man seems to have found a legal loophole to end his marriage.
Divorce Resort, set to screen at the upcoming South by Southwest (SXSW), follows Butch Meily, who has been separated from his wife for eight years. The two live in the Philippines, but Meily has discovered a way to finally end his marriage legally.
The catch? He must spend seven days on the island of Guam, which offers a “7-Day Residency Divorce.” As long as one partner in the marriage spends a week in Guam and establishes residence, they can apply for an internationally recognized divorce.
“[Butch’s] convinced the divorce will change his life,” reads the documentary’s synopsis, “But vacation can be uncomfortably meditative. As each day brings Butch closer to signing, he’s forced to confront his loss.”
“We believe Divorce Resort gives human texture to an otherwise abstracted sociopolitical issue, which hopefully sparks some potential for change,” Marco Meily, the documentary’s producer and Butch’s son, tells Rolling Stone Philippines.
Divorce Resort will make its world premiere at SXSW, which runs from March 12 to 18.
