Premiering at South by Southwest Film Festival (SXSW) this March 2026, the documentary follows a Filipino man navigating a surprising legal loophole to end his marriage, even when divorce remains illegal in his home country.
Divorce is a deeply fraught subject in the Philippines, where it remains illegal due to a complex mix of religious and cultural factors. Despite decades of efforts to legalize it—among the archipelago’s most protracted and contentious debates—the country has seen little movement toward reform. The disparity becomes starker when viewed globally: the Philippines is one of only two places in the world without a divorce law, the other being the Vatican. And yet, a little-known loophole exists for those with the resources and resolve to pursue it, a path the new 15-minute documentary Divorce Resort traces through the experience of one man.
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Premiering at the South by Southwest Film Festival (SXSW) this March 2026, the film follows Butch Meily, a 72-year-old man who has been separated from his wife for eight years. With divorce still illegal in his home country of the Philippines, he embarks on a seven-day stay in Guam, where a legal loophole offers him the possibility of a new beginning. This comes in the form of the “7 Day Residency Divorce,” which lets one spouse spend the indicated number of days in Guam, establish residence, and acquire an internationally recognized divorce.
Yet as Butch drifts through the tropical limbo of the resort his lawyer has booked for him, the enforced pause compels him to confront his losses and reckon with what this next chapter might truly mean.
“He’s convinced the divorce will change his life; happiness at the stroke of a pen. But vacation can be uncomfortably meditative,” writes the documentary’s official synopsis.
Divorce Resort is directed by Coby Becker, who also serves as producer alongside Alana Saad and Butch’s son, Marco Meily.
For more information on “Divorce Resort” and schedules, visit SXSW 2026’s official website.
