Here - Aginelo

Romeo Misses A Payment
Filmmaker, Director and father, Angelo Lobo has created a mustsee documentary for anyone concerned with the deteriorating
emotional health of America's families. His hard-hitting
film Romeo Misses a Payment showcases just how wrong
America is in handling divorce, the inequities involving child
custody among the low income groups, and how the system
perpetuates a "one parent household" to the very children that
need support the most. Skyrocketing divorce rates forces the
question... is there a better way? Romeo Misses a
Payment premiered in LA at the Regent Theater, in New York at
the AMC Magic Johnson Theater, and
in London at the Prince Charles Theater.
Struggling with financing, time and patience, Director Angelo
Lobo knew he must continue the journey of making Romeo
Misses a A Payment when the first of several suicide notes
appeared in his Inbox. Written by distraught parents being
churned up in the American divorce system, Lobo became
determined to force an examination of standard divorce procedure
in the U. S., where, in most cases, everyone loses-- most especially the children. Sadly based on
economic feasibility, Romeo Misses A Payment is a real look at the overwhelming devastation of the
American divorce industry and ultimately challenges America to protect families, aim higher, and find
a better way.
Incendiary, controversial, insightful, heartbreaking and ultimately triumphant; Romeo Misses A
Payment is a must-see film for anyone concerned with families, children and parental
rights. Documenting the complicated and often lopsided world of divorce and child custody through the
eyes of those affected most, children, parents and extended families, the film also features the expert
testimonies of attorneys, judges, and law officers who are caught up in the "business" of divorce.
As he informs us early on in his debut documentary, Angelo Lobo is a twice-divorced single dad who has had
more than his share of problems with child custody and support issues. But rather than just grousing to his
friends, he’s made Romeo Misses a Payment, a rough-hewn but provocative effort exploring an issue that will
prove increasingly relevant as divorce rates continue to skyrocket.
Shot over the course of several years, the film is an impassioned indictment of
the unfairness of the family law court system and its particular discrimination
against low-income, non-custodial parents. Lobo buttresses his argument with
interviews with attorney, judges, law enforcement officers and, of course,
many single parents who claim to have been treated unfairly.
Unfortunately, the tyro filmmaker lacks the finesse to make his case in
particularly thoughtful or cogent fashion. Running only 66 minutes, the film
doesn’t have the room to examine its subject matter in depth, and even then,
time is wasted with such sequences as when the young patrons of Scottsdale’s
“Deadbeats Bar & Grill” are given the opportunity to deliver facile
observations on the topic.
Lobo is prone to cinematic hyperbole, frequently rewinding or stopping the
film so that he can deliver his own acerbic responses to an interviewee’s
comments. He also unfortunately compares a locked-up deadbeat dad on a
hunger strike to Mahatma Gandhi.
Still, there are many compelling issues discussed, such as the problems facing active military servicemen who
find themselves unable to make child support payments because of sudden cuts in pay. There’s also no shortage
of drama attendant to the subject matter, as the news footage detailing suicides and shootings involving
disgruntled men caught up in child custody and payment cases well illustrates.
(Aginelo Entertainment)
Production: Aginelo Film
Director/producer: Angelo Lobo
Director of photography: Jake Rose
Editor: Matthew Jones
Composer: Scott Starret
Not rated, 66 min.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/romeo-misses-a-payment-film-667513
In light of the new year and in the hopes of new beginnings, Aginelo
Productions announces "Romeo Misses a Payment", a powerful independent
film chronicling the fall out of divorce and child custody cases in America.
There will be a FREE VIEWING ONLINE until February 6. Please visit the
website and Twitter: @supportthemovie
"Romeo Misses a Payment" showcases the inequities involving child custody
among low-income groups, and how the system perpetuates a "one parent
household" to the very children that need support the most.
I had the opportunity to speak with Angelo Lobo, a dad who went through a
divorce and custody battle. When Angelo saw what was happening in the courts, he decided to journal his findings. This led to the
making of Romeo Misses a Payment.
Tell us about the name "Aginelo Productions."
I was born as Aginelo Coelho Lobo and when I got to first grade my teacher, Mrs. Osmond, started calling me "Angelo," so it stuck,
and everyone calls me Angelo now. Aginelo was also fitting for our new company. Our co-producer, Jeff Polinsky, and I met in acting
class over 17 years ago, and one day we just wanted to start making our own film projects, so the divorce documentary was our first
project. After I wrote the treatment, Jeff took the pages and created our shot chart to get us going. He was also instrumental in getting
the rest of the crew and team on board; I really could not have done it without him.
What exactly are "noncustodial parents"?
A noncustodial parent is a parent who does not have physical and/or legal custody of his/her child by court order. When we first
started this project, the court terms were actually "plaintiff" and "defendant," and after some confusion on the terms we started using
custodial and noncustodial. It just makes sense because custodial parents are not always mothers or fathers. Sometimes they can be
grandparents or people apart of the family. We figured it was a better descriptor.
Have you, yourself been in a divorce and/or custody battle over a child/children?
Yes, I did go through a divorce and custody battle. So, I understand how hurtful and difficult the whole process can be on parents and
children. I was inspired by my experience and wanted to be able to educate and provide support to people who were going through
similar situations.
In 2006 when you bought a camera and started filming in courthouses, did you get permission first?
Yes, we did file for permits to film in the courthouses, and were granted them in a few different states; however, we were then told that
because it was a documentary the crew was granted to film in public buildings, and the people who participated in the film granted us
permission and release.
In your research, have you found a common reason why the non-custodial parent rarely gets to see their children?
In many cases "parent alienation" is present. The custodial parent may just be keeping the child or children away from the other
parent. Also, the less time the non-custodial parent gets with the child, more support must be given to the custodial parent, so there is
monetary reasons as well.
When you started working on this film, did you have any idea you would receive a suicide note from a father who couldn't see his
children? Did you ever think you'd hear stories about fathers walking into a courthouse with a grenade or machine gun?
When I wrote out the first treatment in 2006 I did have an idea that things were bad and parents were suffering; however, once I
received that suicide note in my inbox, and had to talk to that man to see that there was hope for him, it did something to me. It really
changed the tempo of the film to "urgent". After placing the man with the grenade in, and then the young man hanging himself on a
tree, the film really started to consume me. I lived and breathed making the movie and did whatever it took to work on it.
What's the difference between people who are unable to pay their mandated child support versus people who are able to pay it, but
fail to?
In our filming, we found that when the system was first created there was a small percentage, like one percent or two percent, of
parents that failed to pay child support. This was due to mainly because the parent lost custody or sight of the child due to the
custodial parents creating parent alienation, or the child moving away or not communicating.
The courts do not look into the high debts or the any real hardships that the parents may have. They only take the gross income into
consideration, and base the percentage the parent will pay on that plus interest. Once that money is deducted from paychecks, parents
could be left without enough to pay their other obligations.
Why did you focus on just low-income groups?
We actually did have a few celebrities of high net worth in our first version. The switch came when I received the suicide note in my
email because I realized that low income groups did not have the means to seek help or legal advice without digging more into a
financial hole. They couldn't even seek counseling or therapy to help them cope, so the anger was directed outward at others or
inward with suicide. They would be incarcerated and placed in a cell with murderers, rapists and violent criminals, when in fact all
they did is not have funds.
It also seemed like there was a stereotype as well. For example, if they were doctors, lawyers or business owners, etc., the clerk or
support magistrate might assume they can "afford" any amount given and in many cases charge more than the state calculations
allowed plus interest. If it took three years for the noncustodial parent to get a hearing to revise the rate, then all of the arrears were
calculated plus interest for those three years so he or she could be looking at a bill for well over $100k.
Once the amount was not paid in full, the enforcement would be endless and relentless. I think it is important to note that the system
also has huge amounts of errors that cause serious harm. In many cases, the parents are paying and not credited correctly, especially
when they have wage garnishments that are not processed or credited in time; suspending their professional licenses, contacting their
work and causing embarrassment and shame. The non-custodial parent in many cases has nowhere to turn.
For your film, did you interview biological parents only or all different family situations?
We interviewed mostly biological parents.
Where did you get the funding to make Romeo Misses a Payment?
After putting my own savings into it, I raised funding from friends and family in the beginning. Then a lot of family organizations
helped us with expenses to film important interviews once they knew what we were trying to do. I got a job driving a limousine full
time to keep the project alive, and saved up to re-edit the film to where it is now.
At what point did you choose to get a publicity agent?
When we had the green light for the theatrical screenings, we knew we needed help and we felt really comfortable working with a
team.
Were you born in America? What is your family history?
No, I was born on the Cabo Verde (Cape Verde) Islands, which are 10 islands in the Atlantic Ocean that were colonized by the
Portuguese, which then became independent in 1975. My family immigrated to New England when I was one year old.
From your film research, what percent of non-custodial parents are male versus female?
From my experience with this film, I can tell you that we would have five men to maybe one woman that was the non-custodial parent.
With that being said, the difference for the woman seemed to be that they would not be jailed as much as the men. However, times are
changing. There are many women that are noncustodial parents, and sometimes they do lose sight of their children as well. The whole
process is very emotionally draining and difficult. Hopefully, as we continue to bring awareness to these issues, things will get better
and parents can work together to find best outcome for their children.
Anything else you'd like to say?
I am honored for this interview, and I thank you for your time. I really appreciate the opportunity to be of service.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ilana-rapp/divorce-and-child-custody_b_4550622.html
In his documentary Romeo Misses A Payment Angelo Lobo addresses a serious issue plaguing America; the unjust child support
system. An incredibly insightful film that should be watched by everyone, presenting shocking stories and truths about divorce in
America – an endemic that sees almost 60% of marriages end in! Lobo himself is divorced, but he and his ex-wife chose not to go
through the Family Law Court System, and after watching this documentary, I really don’t blame them! Together they found an
agreement to make their family work and to both spend as much time with their children as possible without the excruciating financial
and mental pain of the system.
Lobo travels around America interviewing numerous people from different social backgrounds and societal positions to hear their
thoughts on divorce and the family court system. Couples who buy a marriage licence contribute to divorce programmes before they
are even married – part of the fee that they pay to get married goes into divorce, presenting a pessimistic outlook on matrimony from
the start. It is as though the break up of families is inevitable, merely a part of life. In too many cases this rings true, and it really
shouldn’t. In just over an hour, the documentary addresses all the problems with the system, and audiences are invited into the
heartfelt stories of the individuals who have suffered its wrath.
From ‘deadbeat dad’ stereotyping, to child support fraud, to parent alienation, there is an obvious fault in the system, which appears
to work against, not with, the people. The divorce system makes money off broken families; the Government thrives off it. Apparently
in 2010 the office of Child Support Enforcement collected $569,000,000 in payments from supposedly dead beats, that had not been
distributed to the intended custodial parents or children. Shocking. Dead beat dad seems to be a huge stereotype that sweeps the
whole of America when it comes to child support, but obviously it is unjust for every dad to be tarnished with that brush. For instance,
those who work minimum wage jobs earn so little, that 80% of their wage can contribute to child support alone. Also, for those who
are homeless, jobless, or have drug dependencies, they are still assessed at minimum wage when there is absolutely no way that they
can pay this support, thus ending up in jail, or being branded a dead beat. There is little opportunity for ways around the system
making it virtually impossible to have a fair start.
There is definitely something pretty wrong with incarcerating people because they
have not paid their child support. Did you know you can end up in a maximum
security prison if you don’t pay up! WTF?! Yep…chilling with the rapists and
murderers. Debters prisons were technically abolished over 100 years ago, so this
modern take on imprisoning ‘debters’ makes perfect sense, huh?!
Lobo interviewed John Mutari who was arrested for not paying child support, and
has been homed in a maximum security prison; it was a sad sight of a man who
looked frail and prematurely aged, no doubt the stress of the system had something
to do with this. He was $119,000 behind in payments stating that it is your problem
if you can’t afford to pay your child support. When Mutari was finally released, he
was soon again arrested for peacefully protesting the system, and declaring his love for his son. This was just one of the many
devastating stories to have surfaced from the film. Another particularly disturbing case was that of a marine who was held as a
prisoner of war for 5 months in one of Saddam’s prisons. The night he flew back to the U.S he was cuffed as soon as he set foot off the
plane and put in jail for not paying the $1425 in child support that he owed. It was not even counted as an extenuating circumstance.
DOES THIS MAKE ANY SENSE!? Um, no. Just how bad a circumstance does it have to be for you to be let off the hook?
The documentary is filmed in a close but un-invasive way; Lobo clearly sympathises with
his subjects as he films and talks to them, really getting them to open up about their anger
and disappointment with such a sensitive subject of a system that seems to allows no
sympathy towards the individual. Although the documentary was primarily about the
problems with child support and the family court system, the only thing I would have liked
to see Lobo touch on was the differing reasons for break-ups in the first place, as perhaps
this would have allowed us to see each situation in a different light. A must see
documentary, an education especially for those in America who may one day (but hopefully
not) have something to do with this system.
http://themovieblog.com/2013/romeo-misses-a-payment-an-intriguing-documentary-on-the-family-court-system/
Filmmaker and father Angelo Lobo exposes the devastating effects of the American
divorce industry in his amazing new documentary, "Romeo Misses A Payment."
Through interviews with parents, attorneys, judges, and other law officials on all sides
of the issue, the film explores the complicated world of divorce and child custody
through interviews with common folks; some perhaps even like people you already
know who believe they've become just a number and not a name.
"Romeo Misses A Payment" is controversial, insightful and at times heartbreaking.
But through all of its harshness, Lobo's film encourages us by showing that there is
hope. "Romeo Misses A Payment" is a must-see documentary for both parents and
other concerned citizens.
I spoke with Lobo about "Romeo Misses A Payment" and what we can do to help raise
awareness about what's going on in our court systems.
What inspired you to make this documentary?
My story is similar to all of the millions of other ones about non-custodial parents. It
got to a point to where I just wanted to take the pain and emotion that I was feeling at
the time and turn it into a positive to help other people. I started thinking about the
power of video and knew that if I could show some of these emotions and touch on
what people were actually feeling, then maybe people would start a discussion.
The problem is, no one really wants to talk about it; or if they do they automatically
feel that the non-custodial parent is somehow a "bad" person. Saying things like
"What did you do wrong?" or "You must not be paying" or "You're not a good person" when most of the time, that's not the case. A lot
of the time you have normal, everyday people who are feeling tremendous pain and heartache and aren't able to talk to anyone
because the climate has been built against the non-custodial parent to make them feel like they're not a good person.
How long did the film take to complete?
I started the project back in 2006. I bought a camera and just started going around to courthouses and filming. I just wanted to get as
much footage as I could and interview as many people as possible. And it was the same heartache story: "I can't see my kids", I've got
to pay this…" The judge ordered this.." It started to get overwhelming. That was when the parent organizations found out about what
we were doing and came to us and said, "You know, we've been trying to do something like this for the past 15 years." And before long,
people started emailing and calling. Doing whatever they could to send us in the right direction.
Did you find that a lot of the people you interviewed were eager to discuss their situations?
I think when a non-custodial parent finds someone who's willing to listen and can relate to what they're saying, it's almost a relief that
they can talk about it. That's what we found. People were sharing with their hearts what was happening, and that in turn helped us
move forward with the movie.
Was there a reason you chose some of the cities you visited? Like Dallas, Texas for example.
At the time, Dallas had one of the highest rates of incarceration for a failure to pay child support. That's what brought us there at that
time. The worst part was that these were average citizens who, because they weren't able to pay $2000, were being put in jail with
rapists and murderers. It was hard to believe that it was happening. How is the system helping parents by doing this?
Did you ever risk being arrested yourself during the course of making the film?
In a few interviews we were escorted out once they found out some of the questions we were asking, but the goal was the same. We
had to keep moving and bring awareness to this and realize that one court document can ruin an entire family. I'm not saying that the
courts aren't trying to do their best. The fact is, they're overwhelmed with a lot of cases.
What would you like people who are going through this issue to take away from watching this film?
I want them to realize that they're not alone. There are other people out there who are going through the same issue, but there's hope.
We've got a great resource page on our website where you can reach out to organizations close to home. Stop and take a couple of
deep breaths and know that you're going to be ok, and your kids are going to be ok too. Just being able to talk to someone and not
holding in the pain is a step in the right direction.
What do you think are some of the things we can do to solve this issue?
I think we really need to look at the laws that are in place. It's a non-partisan issue so let's have the legislatures really look at it and
determine what the best interests are not only for the country, but for the children who grow up in it. Right now there are a lot of bills
out there, but I think we should focus on the education end and maybe teach people who want to get married that certain things could
happen down the road. Make sure that they're really ready and also how to be good parents. Things that can benefit them before a
disaster. Look at ways to strengthen things to create a better home for children. My hope is that this film will bring about that
dialogue.
http://voices.yahoo.com/filmmaker-angelo-lobo-discusses-documentary-romeo-12463253.html?cat=40
Synopsis from the main website:
Romeo Misses A Payment is a must-see documentary about the American divorce industry.
Director and father Angelo Lobo exposes the wide-ranging devastation of the American divorce industry.
Romeo Misses A Payment documents the complicated world of divorce and child custody through dozens of interviews with parents,
attorneys, judges, and law officers on all sides of the issue. Incendiary, controversial, insightful, heartbreaking and ultimately
triumphant.
http://filmcourage.com/content/the-day-i-received-a-suicide-note-from-a-divorced-father-by-angelo-lobo-of-supportthemovie
Filmmaker and father Angelo Lobo exposes the devastating effects of the American
divorce industry in his amazing new documentary, “Romeo Misses A Payment.”
Through interviews with parents, attorneys, judges, and other law officials on all sides of
the issue, the film explores the complicated world of divorce and child custody through
interviews with common folks; some perhaps even like people you already know who
believe they’ve become just a number and not a name.
“Romeo Misses A Payment” is controversial, insightful and at times heartbreaking. But
through all of its harshness, Lobo’s film encourages us by showing that there is hope.
“Romeo Misses A Payment” is a must-see documentary for both parents and other
concerned citizens.
I spoke with Lobo about “Romeo Misses A Payment” and what we can do to help raise
awareness about what’s going on in our court systems.
What inspired you to make this documentary?
My story is similar to all of the millions of other ones about non-custodial parents. It got
to a point to where I just wanted to take the pain and emotion that I was feeling at the
time and turn it into a positive to help other people. I started thinking about the power of
video and knew that if I could show some of these emotions and touch on what people
were actually feeling, then maybe people would start a discussion.
The problem is, no one really wants to talk about it; or if they do they automatically feel that the non-custodial parent is somehow a
“bad” person. Saying things like “What did you do wrong?” or “You must not be paying” or “You’re not a good person” when most
of the time, that’s not the case. A lot of the time you have normal, everyday people who are feeling tremendous pain and heartache
and aren’t able to talk to anyone because the climate has been built against the non-custodial parent to make them feel like they’re not
a good person.
How long did the film take to complete?
I started the project back in 2006. I bought a camera and just started going around to courthouses and filming. I just wanted to get as
much footage as I could and interview as many people as possible. And it was the same heartache story: “I can’t see my kids”, I’ve
got to pay this…” The judge ordered this..” It started to get overwhelming. That was when the parent organizations found out about
what we were doing and came to us and said, “You know, we’ve been trying to do something like this for the past 15 years.” And
before long, people started emailing and calling. Doing whatever they could to send us in the right direction.
Did you find that a lot of the people you interviewed were eager to discuss their situations?
I think when a non-custodial parent finds someone who’s willing to listen and can relate to what they’re saying, it’s almost a relief
that they can talk about it. That’s what we found. People were sharing with their hearts what was happening, and that in turn helped
us move forward with the movie.
Was there a reason you chose some of the cities you visited? Like Dallas, Texas for example.
At the time, Dallas had one of the highest rates of incarceration for a failure to pay child support. That’s what brought us there at that
time. The worst part was that these were average citizens who, because they weren’t able to pay $2000, were being put in jail with
rapists and murderers. It was hard to believe that it was happening. How is the system helping parents by doing this?
Did you ever risk being arrested yourself during the course of making the film?
In a few interviews we were escorted out once they found out some of the questions we were asking, but the goal was the same. We
had to keep moving and bring awareness to this and realize that one court document can ruin an entire family. I’m not saying that the
courts aren’t trying to do their best. The fact is, they’re overwhelmed with a lot of cases.
What would you like people who are going through this issue to take away from watching this film?
I want them to realize that they’re not alone. There are other people out there who are going through the same issue, but there’s hope.
We’ve got a great resource page on our website where you can reach out to organizations close to home. Stop and take a couple of
deep breaths and know that you’re going to be ok, and your kids are going to be ok too. Just being able to talk to someone and not
holding in the pain is a step in the right direction.
What do you think are some of the things we can do to solve this issue?
I think we really need to look at the laws that are in place. It’s a non-partisan issue so let’s have the legislatures really look at it and
determine what the best interests are not only for the country, but for the children who grow up in it. Right now there are a lot of bills
out there, but I think we should focus on the education end and maybe teach people who want to get married that certain things could
happen down the road. Make sure that they’re really ready and also how to be good parents. Things that can benefit them before a
disaster. Look at ways to strengthen things to create a better home for children. My hope is that this film will bring about that
dialogue.
http://www.examiner.com/article/filmmaker-angelo-lobo-discusses-new-documentary-romeo-misses-a-payment
When it comes to child support, the courts and movies usually villainize parents as someone who wants nothing to do with their
child’s life. Romeo Misses a Payment shows an eye-opening discovery of how unjustly the family courts are in handling divorces, and
how the monthly check is far from an easy way out.
Director, Angelo Lobo, is a twice divorced single father who is struggling with his own finances and issues dealing with the family law
court system. Upon his own experience, he has decided to take a deeper look into how other parents just like him have been unfairly
treated through the American divorce system. Lobo travels to multiple cities, including Dallas, for in-depth interviews explaining how
distressing of a situation it is for the children, parents, and extended families involved. The film also features the expert testimonies of
attorneys, judges, and law officers who are caught up in the business of divorce.
This is a simple documentary. Shot with one camera, Lobo pretty much interviews whoever he could get that would best impact his
message. He does throw in some old black and white movie clips for transition as they relate to the topics at hand. Though the
documentary may not be filmed in the highest quality (weak lighting, low budget), it makes the film more personable. This is a
documentary with an objective. Lobo cares about his subject, and the people he is interviewing. He is hoping that after people watch
his movie, there is an affect, and steps are taken for the system to finally be rightly handled.
This may not have been an issue that most people would think needs concern, but as shown in the documentary, parental suicides have
gone up five times for fit parents that are removed from their children. Arrests have been made to parents who simply can not afford
to pay their child support. They are treated like criminals, and there is nothing they can do about it. “If you have money, the courts
listen to you; if you don’t have money, the family system really sucks.”
Romeo Misses a Payment is shocking and emotional. The upsetting revelations that surface throughout the film will leave audiences
truly appalled, and quite possibly ready to take action for a much needed change in the system.
http://www.redcarpetcrash.com/movie-review-romeo-misses-payment-hits-important-issue/
Who is Angelo Lobo?
Great question. I’m a father, filmmaker and blessed man today. Growing up in a
single parent home on the hard streets of Brockton Massachusetts, it was hard to
find my identity. As an amateur boxer in the hometown of Rocky Marciano and
Marvelous Marvin Haggler, I won some and lost some but it made me stronger to
really want to succeed. I’d always looked for the answer to that question until I
moved to California in 1995 searching for a better life. While living in CA I have
come to learn the meaning of words like integrity, loyalty , and honesty. Since I
was a kid I can remember being the messenger of either bringing good news or bad
news, and lately I’ve been able to see just how much injustice and suffering there is
in the world. As a director and producer I want to be the messenger that brings
awareness to these issues using the power of film.
What was your motivation behind Romeo Misses a Payment?
Basically sitting at lunch with a producer friend of mine, James Hergott from Owned Entertainment discussing
projects and just chatting. Somehow the hardships I was going through came up because I was newly married
and could not see my son from my previous relationship. Then he told me a similar story of a doctor in Canada,
and then yet another story came up, so James suggested that it all sounded really interesting and it could be a
great first project.I went home, wrote out the first 4-5 pages, titled it SUPPORT?. It seems so long ago now
because the treatment went out the window and I decided to buy a $3000 camera and start interviewing outside
the court house. After 220 hours of footage, many edits, and a title change, we now have ROMEO Misses a
Payment.
The gentleman you interviewed in jail on a hunger strike. Since his release what is his status now?
Yes, John Murtari. I had a chance to visit with him in New York last week is doing very well with a new job he
gets to see his son and is supporting him through college and he’s blessed
because he is no longer in the court system and gets along fine with his ex and is
able to co parent. However he is still very active in trying to bring awareness for
parental rights. He visited Senator Charles Schumer just last week to endorse
Family Rights and was able to give him a DVD copy of Romeo Misses a
Payment so that was pretty cool to hear. He is still at work to help others.
How has the documentary been received thus far?
So far we have had mostly great reviews and good feedback, so we are looking
forward to finding more platforms for distribution.
Have you experienced any backlash from the film? If so, what?
I am sure there will be those who will disagree or find something to be unhappy
about and that’s ok. Being it is a documentary we have done our best to keep it
balanced and informative. Not everyone will be happy but if we can spark some
dialog then it’s a good thing and might just save a life.At the last few screenings we heard positive feedback.
and talking to some one outside the theater that was recently in a divorce case they praised the film and felt
moved that there was finally a movie made on the subject. That is good to hear.
What are you hoping to accomplish with this film?’
We hope to spark a grassroots effort to get legislators to view it and
embrace it. I want them to take a closer look at the current policies/bills
in place and work out changes, possibly even go back to the drawing
board to help the fit non-custodial parents, especially our military men
and women suffering today.
How would you like to see the child custody/support system changed in
this country?
Each case is different however I think the “pay before you play” with your child attitude should really be
stricken from the equation. As parents we all have certain rights to be active in our children’s lives whether we
can afford it or not. Of course there needs to be a balance, but we all have many more valuable gifts to give our
children… and what better enjoyment when these gifts come from MOM and DAD and not custodial and non
custodial titles.
Are you now an advocate for child custody/support for divorced parents?
I do feel the system needs to change, it currently rips families apart legally– the system actually promotes it.
Everyone is being hurt, and of course, especially the kids. I just feel that making this film has given me an
opportunity to meet amazing people and organizations. There are great resources at our site
www.theromeodocumentary.com People can go there find out more information.
Thank you for allowing me to be of service and be on I Am So Not Hollywood.
Anytime time Angelo! It was a pleasure.
http://iamsonothollywood.com/2013/12/20/director-angelo-lobo-talks-romeo-misses-a-payment/
Angelo Lobo has released a new documentary called ‘Romeo Misses A Payment’. It’s a look just how wrong
America is in handling divorce. Skyrocketing divorce rates must force the question… is there a better way? We
did an e-mail interview with Angelo to talk about the movie.
Were there any specific interviews in this film that was particularly hard for you to shoot? If so whose and
why?
Yes, mostly all made a difference in the direction of the film. The interview that stood out the most to me was of
Kenneth from New York. Here was a man who invented MRI equipment to save lives and help people. In his
interview you could feel his pain and standing there it was almost like he was not present because he was
recalling everything that was being done to him. After the interview he went into the restroom so I waited
outside to say goodbye and thank him, and I could see the tears in his eyes- an knew then as I walked out that I
had to keep this film alive.
After the interview he went into the restroom so I waited outside to say goodbye- thank you for what seemed to
be 30 minutes then I went into the rest room and he was just standing there- all alone in tears with blood shot
eyes- I just turned around and as I walked out I knew I had to keep this film alive.
It was frustrating to see you not able to film in the family court houses in the beginning of the film, how did
you finally get the footage in court?
After trying unsuccessfully, we finally got a lead and we begged the
Dallas George Allen Court because they had the most cases of
support incarcerations. Once we got the permits and started
interviewing, everyone was kind, cooperative until we started asking
questions regarding money, their collections, and the federal tax
incentives they were getting. We were then asked to call the attorney
general to explain what we really filming and we were quickly
escorted out of the property. I was told that day off the record “the
court has obtained more than 100,000 families and exceeds that
each year”. Another turning point for the film because some of the parents were telling the judges right in front
of us they did not want to bring the other parent to court and the court would persuade them to do it. Very
bizarre.
How was your experience filming in Dallas in comparison to other
cities you visited?
I believe all the cities run in parallel because the system seems broken
all around except for states that have 50/50 shared custody bills and
mandatory paternity tests are in place. Dallas – at the time of filming,
the parents that were incarcerated and begging for release had no
proper legal representation they seemed to be belittled and forced to
agree to terms that seemed unrealistic for their release. Dallas – At the
time of filming the parents that were incarcerated and begging for
release had no proper legal representation they seemed to be belittle and forced to agree to terms that seemed
unrealistic for their release.
Anything you enjoyed about our city?
I like Dallas a lot, been there few times and have good friends there.
Overall it is a great city.
What steps do you think need to be taken to improve the divorce system?
I hope and pray that once the film is released parents,judges, and the
overall system itself can see from the stories that deny basic human
rights to our children will hurt the children and “battling” will not solve
anything.
What did you enjoy most about making this documentary?
I really enjoyed meeting so many great people that were working towards positive changes not only in the court
systems, but also to strength they way we think about marriage and
teaching our children how important that is.
What do you think all of your audiences will do after watching this
documentary?
I would hope that if they or others that are going through those issues
see the hope in unity and feel that they are not alone. They can go to
our website for resources and get involved. We hope that this can help
and hopefully things will get better for them and their families.
http://www.redcarpetcrash.com/interview-director-angelo-lobo-talks-romeo-misses-payment/
Having trouble with those child support and/or alimony payments? Here's the documentary for you. ROMEO
MISSES A PAYMENT (interesting title, that--with all sorts of implications) from a new filmmaker named
Angelo Lobo ("Angel Wolf" in translation?) hopes to put the spotlight on the
USA's current divorce laws and how these effect alimony and child support,
as well as giving us a look at what the filmmaker sees as the badly outmoded
if not downright unjust doings of our family court system.
This would be a tall order for even a seasoned filmmaker, I believe, and Mr.
Lobo (shown at left) is not nearly that. Consequently his film, which lasts only
66 minutes, takes awhile to even begin to convince. When mention is made of
fit parents, we're given little indication of what the word "fit" actually means.
And when we're introduced to a deadbeat dad and prisoner named John
Mutari (below), and Lobo compares him to
Mahatma Gandhi, when all we know about him
is that he's gone on a hunger strike in prison,
this may leave some viewers marveling at the
level of naivete on display.
If you stick with the documentary, however, you may find yourself beginning to
see the point. Granted, the short length of Lobo's film does not give much time for
in-depth exploration, but the dads (and one token mom) that he interviews here
possess stories that will begin to grab and even move you a bit.
You'll hear about everything from U.S. Marines and other servicemen who, due to
sudden salary cuts, are unable to make their payments and so are declared deadbeat even as they are or were
fighting for our country, to the poor fellow who's the subject of a paternity fraud and who tells us that all a
woman has to do is name someone as the father and certain courts will simply go after him with nothing but her
word as evidence.
You'll also hear about nasty wives who've drained their exes for every last penny (the suicide rate among
deadbeat dads is evidently higher than the norm). The movie at times comes close to the misogynistic, so it was
indeed wise of Lobo in include his one deadbeat mom.
Beyond individuals, according to the filmmaker, it's the whole system that is involved in a kind of fraud.
Especially Texas (wouldn't you know it?) where, we are told, there is a "systemic incentive to overstate the
amount of child support obligation," and so kickbacks to the state are common-place and most welcome,
particularly in these "down" economic times.
Interestingly enough, Lobo begins his film at a singles bar where
gals and guys are hooking up. The questions he asks these young
people, together with the answers given, suggest that this whole
marriage/divorce/child support merry-go-round is pre-ordained by
the stupidity and irresponsibil-ity on view. All the problems in the
film, as the filmmaker points out, begin here. If Lobo and his subjects
had spent a little more time thinking about this -- looking before they
leap, sheathing before they shove it in -- many of these Romeos might
not have had any payments to miss.
http://trustmovies.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-deadbeat-dad-documentary-angelo.html
Filmmaker and father Angelo Lobo exposes the devastating effects of the American divorce industry in his amazing new documentary, “Romeo Misses A Payment.” Through interviews with parents, attorneys, judges, and other law officials on all sides of the issue, the film explores the complicated world of divorce and child custody through interviews with common folks; some perhaps even like people you already know who believe they’ve become just a number and not a name. “Romeo Misses A Payment” is controversial, insightful and at times heartbreaking. But through all of its harshness, Lobo’s film encourages us by showing that there is hope. “Romeo Misses A Payment” is a must-­‐see documentary for both parents and other concerned citizens. I spoke with Lobo about “Romeo Misses A Payment” and what we can do to help raise awareness about what’s going on in our court systems. What inspired you to make this documentary? My story is similar to all of the millions of other ones about non-­‐custodial parents. It got to a point to where I just wanted to take the pain and emotion that I was feeling at the time and turn it into a positive to help other people. I started thinking about the power of video and knew that if I could show some of these emotions and touch on what people were actually feeling, then maybe people would start a discussion. The problem is, no one really wants to talk about it; or if they do they automatically feel that the non-­‐custodial parent is somehow a “bad” person. Saying things like “What did you do wrong?” or “You must not be paying” or “You’re not a good person” when most of the time, that’s not the case. A lot of the time you have normal, everyday people who are feeling tremendous pain and heartache and aren’t able to talk to anyone because the climate has been built against the non-­‐custodial parent to make them feel like they’re not a good person. How long did the film take to complete? I started the project back in 2006. I bought a camera and just started going around to courthouses and filming. I just wanted to get as much footage as I could and interview as many people as possible. And it was the same heartache story: “I can’t see my kids”, I’ve got to pay this…” The judge ordered this..” It started to get overwhelming. That was when the parent organizations found out about what we were doing and came to us and said, “You know, we’ve been trying to do something like this for the past 15 years.” And before long, people started emailing and calling. Doing whatever they could to send us in the right direction. Did you find that a lot of the people you interviewed were eager to discuss their situations? I think when a non-­‐custodial parent finds someone who’s willing to listen and can relate to what they’re saying, it’s almost a relief that they can talk about it. That’s what we found. People were sharing with their hearts what was happening, and that in turn helped us move forward with the movie. Was there a reason you chose some of the cities you visited? Like Dallas, Texas for example. At the time, Dallas had one of the highest rates of incarceration for a failure to pay child support. That’s what brought us there at that time. The worst part was that these were average citizens who, because they weren’t able to pay $2000, were being put in jail with rapists and murderers. It was hard to believe that it was happening. How is the system helping parents by doing this? Did you ever risk being arrested yourself during the course of making the film? In a few interviews we were escorted out once they found out some of the questions we were asking, but the goal was the same. We had to keep moving and bring awareness to this and realize that one court document can ruin an entire family. I’m not saying that the courts aren’t trying to do their best. The fact is, they’re overwhelmed with a lot of cases. What would you like people who are going through this issue to take away from watching this film? I want them to realize that they’re not alone. There are other people out there who are going through the same issue, but there’s hope. We’ve got a great resource page on our website where you can reach out to organizations close to home. Stop and take a couple of deep breaths and know that you’re going to be ok, and your kids are going to be ok too. Just being able to talk to someone and not holding in the pain is a step in the right direction. What do you think are some of the things we can do to solve this issue? I think we really need to look at the laws that are in place. It’s a non-­‐partisan issue so let’s have the legislatures really look at it and determine what the best interests are not only for the country, but for the children who grow up in it. Right now there are a lot of bills out there, but I think we should focus on the education end and maybe teach people who want to get married that certain things could happen down the road. Make sure that they’re really ready and also how to be good parents. Things that can benefit them before a disaster. Look at ways to strengthen things to create a better home for children. My hope is that this film will bring about that dialogue. http://gojimmygo.net/tag/romeo-misses-a-payment/
http://www.spreecast.com/events/angelo-lobo-romeo-misses-a-payment
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