Singapore – Singaporeans are a lot more accepting of divorce today than they ever were before. In fact, a recent survey that was published in the Singapore media earlier this year uncovered the shocking fact that one in four couples are contemplating divorce. It is in this atmosphere that Ten Hours of Divorce (离婚十小时), has been produced. Created by experienced life-coach Mdm Huiru (慧汝) over the course of 5 years, who based this story on real-life cases she had encountered over the course of her mentoring work, and directed by veteran producer Mr Au Yuk Sing (區玉盛), this is a movie that takes an authentic and honest approach to parental and unconditional love of the nuclear family, acknowledging its utmost importance in a child’s life.
A sweeping tale of familial love that spans China and Singapore, this is a story about a wise lady and her separated husband, whose marriage has seen many ups and downs through the years. The movie is deeply atmospheric and reminiscent of a nostalgic time in an era steeped in change and tradition, rife with a heart-wrenching tension between modern aspiration and duty to the family. Ultimately, this is a story that champions the family and the prevailing of hope, a tale that seeks to uplift the audience with its message of perseverance and inherent belief in keeping the family whole. In a time where divorce rates are climbing (the latest statistics released by the Department of Statistics show that divorce rates were at a 10 year high in 2016) and social attitudes towards separation seem more normalised – this is indeed a beautiful and brave story about the importance of the family that everyone needs to watch. Underlying the entire movie is the message that love is a restorative force that has immense power to affect the society positively, and the love a child obtains from his or her family has far-reaching effects that will continue to enrich the community over the years.
Mdm Huiru was inspired to write the story for Ten Hours of Divorce (离婚十小时) after meeting with and mentoring many troubled people throughout her 20-year career as first, a teacher, and then, a life-coach and author. “When I was at my lowest, a mentor helped me understand my true purpose in life as being a positive light to those who need emotional support. Through my interactions teaching and coaching my clients, I also realised that a dignified and meaningful life derives from the family of origin, the love an individual receives from that point from his or her parents and all throughout childhood,” says Mdm Huiru. “This is the positive and reinforcing message I hope to convey through the movie, which I sincerely believe will make a difference to the lives of all who watch it.”
Says Mr Au about his latest project, his first after a 6-year hiatus from producing movies and television dramas: “This is a very meaningful project to me, as its main purpose is not a commercial one like what I am used to, but is instead a very noble one: to prompt the audience to think deeper about their purpose in life. The characters of the movie were also written to be easily relatable for the viewers, and it is my hope that the person who watches this movie will be influenced to respond positively to their situations, just as the movie’s characters did.”
It is with this mindset that the makers of this movie have approached this project and they hope to make a stark, honest commentary about why much beauty in life can be derived from the family and its crucial importance, extolling the value of life and unconditional love, and cautioning of the far-reaching repercussions of divorce on the child whose family is torn apart by it. The casting and release date of the movie are still in the process of being confirmed.
