Portraying in Film the Mythology of Child-Related Litigation

Abstract

ABSTRACTA veteran attorney and filmmaker discusses the lessons for both separating parents and divorce professionals alike contained in his Telly Award-winning short film, Talk to Strangers. The film forges a visceral connection with its audience in the plight of a brother and sister put at risk by a court-administered custody evaluation process. Applying a variety of filmic techniques and an unusual perspective to the toxicity of high-conflict litigation, Talk to Strangers debunks the myths on which separating parents and even divorce professionals rely in countenancing avoidable child-related litigation. The film’s unique power derives from an engaging story rooted in the experience of its attorney producers, stellar performances by its child actors, and an original score cowritten by a Grammy-winning composer.