Films of Record Production : Hold Me Tight, Let Me Go

photographer - Andy Paradise

Hold Me Tight, Let Me Go
TX: Thursday 22nd May 2008 BBC 4

Prize-winning documentary film directed by Kim Longinotto

Acclaimed documentary film-maker Kim Longinotto (Sisters in Law, The Day I Will Never Forget) brings us another incredible film about struggling children living in extraordinary circumstances. The Mulberry Bush in Oxfordshire is a unique boarding school that looks after and teaches children who have been expelled from regular schools for extreme behaviour. The three-year programme gives them the chance to turn their lives around and re-enter the regular school system. Longinotto spends a year at the school following the progress of four charming but troubled boys. All have severe problems with anger and violence; they punch, kick, spit and curse at the remarkably patient teachers who are trained never to raise their voices and who encourage the students to express their emotions. The film compassionately captures the battle these children go through to give voice to the hurt they carry inside. It is a sensitive and heart-wrenching study of the results of family dysfunction and also stands witness to the effects-bad and good-adults have on growing children.

Mulberry Bush is not an average school. It costs £113,000 a year and is highly selective. But you don’t get there by being super rich. Each child is carefully chosen and paid for by local education authorities hard strapped even to buy enough books for their normal classrooms. They pay for these children for one reason only: they have no idea what else to do with them.

The Mullberry Bush School is where kids go when they can’t go anywhere else. Children whose behavioural and emotional problems are so extreme other schools, their parents and care homes have rejected them.

This film explores the remarkable relationships which are formed between the staff and children. We are drawn into the arduous and emotionally charged process of trying to break the kids’ violent and self-destructive patterns of behaviour.

Brit Doc Best British Film 2007

The Joris Ivens, Grand Jury Best Film award, Amsterdam 2007

Birds Eye View best Documentary 2008

Britspotting, Berlin Best Documentary 2008

Executive Producers : Roger Graef
Sound : Mary Milton
Editor : Ollie Huddleston

“**** Harrowing… an honest and heartfelt look into the issues that colour the lives of those that call this place home”
Carrie Bailey Epoch Times

“Remarkable … shot with clarity and human kindness.” Jason Solomons The Observer

“Moving and rewarding…sensitively filmed…shows [Longinotto’s] skill at capturing the humanity of people and situations in an extremely accessible manner” Paul Griffiths Eye for Film

"Disturbing, deeply moving and even at times, darkly comic …a very strong piece of work”
David Jenkins
Time Out London

“***** (Five stars) Brave…Wonderful…Go see this film.”
Peter Wintonick POV Magazine

Hold Me Tight Let Me Go

A moving look at a school for traumatised and violent youngsters Thu 25 Oct 18:00, NFT1 £8.50 Sat 27 Oct 18:30, Ritzy Cinema £8.50

Mulberry Bush is a boarding school in Oxford that caters for children who have been excluded from regular schools and who suffer from severe emotional trauma. The staff have to endure daily confrontations, a great deal of spitting and swearing from their charges, and valiantly attempt to change the violent and self-destructive patterns of behaviour.

Kim Longinotto (The Day I Will Never Forget, Sisters in Law) draws some fascinating characters and stories from the chaos in the classrooms. With a perfected observational style she captures the humanity of the pupils, their families and the teachers superbly, and, though it is a revealing and moving study, the film is not completely without humour.

As badly behaved as the kids are, it's to the film's credit that the viewer never loses empathy with them. Their relationships with their parents are very telling, while the teachers, skilled, dedicated and impossibly patient, appear positively heroic.

Michael Hayden London Film Festival

Hold Me Tight, Let Me Go

One of Britain's most accomplished documentary filmmakers; director Kim Longinotto has created a sensitive portrait of a boarding school in Oxford for children who suffer from severe emotional trauma.

Perfecting an observational style, she captures the humanity of the pupils, their families and the teachers superbly, and though the film doesn't shy away from the difficult lives of the students, it has many warm and funny moments as well.