Episode 112: Split: A Film for Kids of Divorce (and their Parents) with Ellen Bruno

This week, I’m sharing the conversation I had with Ellen Bruno about her film, Split. Split is an incredible film for kids of divorce and their parents.  It is simple in its presentation, but poignant.

Split is a deeply personal film that explores the effects of divorce on children, from the child’s perspective. The movie allows children to speak the powerful truth of what is on their minds and in their hearts.

Show Highlights

  • What inspired Ellen to create a child-centered film about divorce. (5:53)
  • How the film can be used as a tool for children and co-parents alike. (12:11)
  • Mediators, family advisors, and court systems are also utilizing the film as a resource. Viewing it before mediation sessions help turn parents’ attention away from their anger and experiences, and instead towards their children, instead. (19:03)
  • The production of Split 2 and what Ellen learned as she revisited 11 of the 12 children she interviewed originally. (25:07)

Learn More About Ellen:

Ellen Bruno is an award-winning documentary filmmaker based in San Francisco.

With a background in international relief work, Ellen’s films have focused on issues at the forefront of human rights, including sex trafficking in Burma, political prisoners in Tibet, the social alienation of people with leprosy, and genocide in Cambodia.

Ellen earned an MA in Film at Stanford University. She is a recipient of Guggenheim and Rockefeller Fellowships, a Goldie Award for Outstanding Artists, an Alpert Award for the Arts, an Anonymous Was A Woman Award for the Arts, and was an Artist-in-Residence at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts.

Ellen serves on the board of the International Buddhist Film Festival, the Pacific Pioneer Fund, and Ethical Traveler.

Resources & Links:

Split’s website
Split on Facebook


TODAY’S EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY:
THE CENTER FOR DIVORCE EDUCATION

The Center for Divorce Education is an organization that provides separated parents with the tools and techniques necessary to navigate the difficult task of being a co-parent.

They currently offer an online parenting class called Children in Between. Anyone who is co-parenting can benefit from the class. Visit the link above to learn more.


Want More Support?

Many listeners start with the podcast—and at some point realize they want more support while they’re actually in the middle of divorce.

It’s a place to get faster clarity, strategic guidance in real time, and support while you move through the legal, emotional, and logistical realities of divorce—so you’re not trying to figure it all out alone.

Divorce is hard.

High-conflict divorce is a different beast.

Phoenix Rising gives you the strategy, support, and community you need to navigate divorce with more clarity, confidence, and steadiness. You don’t have to figure this out alone.