Family court documentary SUPPORT? at Atlanta film fest this weekend

September 22, 3:22 AMFamily Rights ExaminerTeri Stoddard

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Activist John Murtari is interviewed in SUPPORT?

A documentary on the American child support and family court system will be shown at the Peachtree Village International Film Festival (PVIFF) in Georgia this weekend.

Producer/director Angelo Lobo says he made SUPPORT? System Down to, "give a voice to millions suffering through custody battles and losing sight of their children, in many cases forever!" 

The film is educational and provocative, and Lobo hopes to spark a call to action.  He insists that reform is much-needed in the family courts.  "How is it that society accepts the idea of 'standard visitation' which often allows children of divorce or separation to see their beloved parent, usually fathers but sometimes mothers, only 4 days a month, if that? It's not enough time," said Lobo.

Angelo Lobo

One recent child support case reported on CNN (8/11/09) supports the film's premise that something is seriously wrong with the system. Georgia's Frank Hatley spent a year in jail for owing back child support reimbursement although he is childless. The system knew that Hatley was not the father, yet incarcerated him anyway. Hatley was recently released from jail after his case came to the attention of a human rights group who intervened on his behalf.

SUPPORT? includes interviews with parents, professionals, family rights advocates and equal parenting activists like New York's John Murtari of akidsright.org.  After refusing to eat or drink
voluntarily while incarcerated for child support arrears, Murtari was fed via Nasal-Gastric tube for 123 days.  The film also includes Harry Crouch of the National Coalition for Men, California Men's Centers and PaternityFraudDNA, Glenn Sacks of Fathers & Families in MA and yours truly.

Murtari, who watched the film with Karen DeCrow when it played in New York and who plans on attending the Atlanta showing says, "Karen DeCrow [Syracuse area, former President of NOW], who I believe is one of America's legendary feminist icons, will appear in the new documentary movie Support? System Down expressing the views of millions of Americans.  We have a serious problem of our families being torn apart by a broken system in Family Court."

Crouch said, “During the production of this film the producer, Angelo Lobo, was rejected from court houses, refused interviews, and even threatened. It appears a concerted effort has been to suppress his film too, though I trust the film’s showing in the Atlanta Film Festival will be the first of many showings regardless of political pressures to bury the truth about the family (in)justice system.”

You can see SUPPORT? System Down at Underground Atlanta's Event Loft this Satuday, September 26 at 4:00 pm.  A single film viewing pass is just $3.99.  Buy your ticket here.  MAP

Due to the recent flooding in the Atlanta area I've included this road closure map.

Trailer:  Divorce is ugly business

Trailer:  Support, It's About The Kids

Trailer:  War On Family

Trailer:  Inside Corruption

Angelo Lobo talks with Paula Todd of CTV's The Verdict:

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