Experiencing Interruptions?

DIVIDED

10-year-old Isaac’s innocent request for his dad to spend more time with him results in his divorced parents’ accidental meeting. Isaac feels misunderstood and wronged when his mum protects her new partner over him during dinner. His fears and insecurities drive him to search for his dad late at night, only for him to realise that he is truly alone.

  • Willie Tan
    Director
  • Willie Tan
    Writer
  • Joel Ang
    Director of Photography
  • Chin Gon Yew
    Producer
  • Joanna Theng
    Producer
  • Keane Yap
    Key Cast
    "Isaac"
  • Abby Lai
    Key Cast
    "Katherine"
  • Louis Fong
    Key Cast
    "Wong"
  • Shaun Lee
    Key Cast
    "Alan"
  • Willie Tan
    Editors
  • Joel Ang
    Editors
  • Joel Ang
    Colourist
  • Willie Tan
    Sound Design
  • Justin Teo
    Music Composer
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Runtime:
    12 minutes 53 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    March 25, 2021
  • Production Budget:
    7,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Singapore
  • Country of Filming:
    Singapore
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Nanyang Technological University, Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information
Director Biography - Willie Tan

Willie (b. 1996) is a director, writer and editor based in Singapore.

He is a final-year undergraduate at Nanyang Technology University, Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, set to graduate in mid-2021. Willie is passionate about discovering new stories, and allowing others to enjoy them through visual storytelling. He also enjoys photography and browsing his social media, in search of the latest content to binge on.

The short film “DIVIDED” is his directorial debut.

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Director Statement

In Singapore, more than 7000 marriages have ended in divorce every year ever since 2007. Over 50,000 children under the age of 21 were involved in divorce cases from 2005 to 2014.

DIVIDED is a commentary on divorce and the implications it has on children. Children are often caught in the tangle, becoming the greatest victims of the decisions made by the very people who should be showering them with love and care. It’s the easy way out to “explain when they’re older”, or to assume that things will get better. But children are not little adults, they do not view the world the same way as we do.

Isaac personifies this. We watch him struggle between loving his parents, as a whole, and as separate beings. We see his parents unable to come together for their child’s sake. Isaac has to cling on to whatever love and affection he thinks he has left, but he is forced to grow up quickly in response to the relationships of his parents.