Hold Me Tight Let Me Go

Forty children who suffer from severe behavioral disorders live at Mulberry Bush. Their unacceptable conduct has led them to be turned away from everywhere else so this therapeutic boarding home is their last chance. Kim Longinotto follows their rehabilitation for six months and allows the events, the relationships, and the therapeutic methods to speak for themselves.

Credits

Original Title: Hold Me Tight Let Me Go
Language: English
Country of Origin: Great Britain
Year : 2007
Duration: 109 Min.
Color
Director: Kim Longinotto
Script: Kim Longinotto
Camera: Kim Longinotto
Editing: Ollie Hudleston
Sound: Mary Milton
Production: Films of Record, Kim Longinotto, Roger Grae, Richard Klein
Festivals: Hot Docs, Canadian International Film Festival, Toronto (CA), London Film Festival (UK), Seattle International Film Festival (USA), Bermuda International Film Festival, Los Angeles Film Festival (USA),
Awards: 2008: Special Jury Prize, IDFA Amersterdam (NL); Best Documentary, Britspotting Berlin (D), Best Documentary, Birds Eye View Film Festival

This film is not available in the US and Canada.

About the Film

Emotional wounds

often have profound ramifications. The children at Mulberry Bush have developed behavioral patterns such as hitting, screaming and spitting in response to traumatic experiences. This has resulted in social ostracism. In their past treatment histories, some of these children have even been locked away during particularly bad spells. Sedation, which is the typical, cost-saving approach of psychiatric institutions, is not practiced at Mulberry Bush. Countering aggression with more of the same, although socially approved elsewhere, is not practiced here. Hold Me Tight Let Me Go

In Mulberry Bush, the children are given a new chance.

At Mulberry Bush

Working with the 40 children at Mulberry Bush are 108 therapists, teachers, social workers, nurses, and caretakers. They wait out temper tantrums with unflinching patience and counter fits of rage with the effective therapeutic use of humane interaction and positive relationship. The children can stay for a maximum of three years. The goal of treatment is to overcome the mechanisms that have led to marginalization. When they leave Mulberry Bush, the children should be ready to enroll in regular schools and to live like everyone else.

Film Comment:

Julia 24.03.2010

Ein Film, den alle sehen sollten, die mit Kindern leben und arbeiten. Sehr bewegend.