Film
I Swear (15)
Dir. Kirk Jones, UK, 2025, 120 mins. Cast. Robert Aramayo, Maxine Peake, Shirley Henderson, Peter Mullan.
Nominated for nine BIFA Awards, including Best British Independent Film.
Funny, heartfelt and emphatically moving, I Swear dramatises the true story of Tourette syndrome campaigner John Davidson and his quest to live normally in a world that insisted on calling him different. Diagnosed aged 15, John’s Tourette’s made him the target of huge misunderstanding in 1980s Britain, and he faced hostility, bullying and occasionally outright violence for much of his youth. Aged 16, he was the subject of BBC TV documentary John’s Not Mad (a Q.E.D. episode that’s still ranked one of the 50 best British docs in national polls) and subsequently became one of the UK’s most passionate advocates for greater awareness and acceptance of Tourette’s, for which work he received an MBE in 2019.
I Swear promises a powerful look at an astonishing life – taking in the frustration and fatigue of being persistently misunderstood and the wit, grit and resolve that saw Davidson seek to define himself on his own terms.
For detailed information about the film's age rating and content notices, you can visit the BBFC website and search the film title, then scroll down to the “Content Advice” section: www.bbfc.co.uk
The 2.30pm screening on Saturday 8th November is a RELAXED SCREENING, all tickets £4.50. Everyone is welcome to attend, but we have made it especially suitable to neurodiverse audiences and anyone who finds standard screenings overwhelming:
- Plymouth Arts Cinema is run by a small and friendly team of staff and volunteers.
- The volume is much lower than at a multiplex.
- The house lights are left on a little.
- Capacity will be reduced to 75 seats.
- You are welcome to bring personal items such as blankets, ear defenders, that will help you enjoy the film but do not disrupt other people’s cinematic experience.
- You can move around, stretch your legs, make noise, or take breaks during the film (but we ask you to be mindful of other people’s personal space. For safety reasons, please note that running isn’t allowed in the cinema.)
- To find out more about accessibility in our building, please visit this page.
- The film will also be shown with descriptive subtitles.
Nominated for nine BIFA Awards, including Best British Independent Film.
Funny, heartfelt and emphatically moving, I Swear dramatises the true story of Tourette syndrome campaigner John Davidson and his quest to live normally in a world that insisted on calling him different. Diagnosed aged 15, John’s Tourette’s made him the target of huge misunderstanding in 1980s Britain, and he faced hostility, bullying and occasionally outright violence for much of his youth. Aged 16, he was the subject of BBC TV documentary John’s Not Mad (a Q.E.D. episode that’s still ranked one of the 50 best British docs in national polls) and subsequently became one of the UK’s most passionate advocates for greater awareness and acceptance of Tourette’s, for which work he received an MBE in 2019.
I Swear promises a powerful look at an astonishing life – taking in the frustration and fatigue of being persistently misunderstood and the wit, grit and resolve that saw Davidson seek to define himself on his own terms.
For detailed information about the film's age rating and content notices, you can visit the BBFC website and search the film title, then scroll down to the “Content Advice” section: www.bbfc.co.uk
The 2.30pm screening on Saturday 8th November is a RELAXED SCREENING, all tickets £4.50. Everyone is welcome to attend, but we have made it especially suitable to neurodiverse audiences and anyone who finds standard screenings overwhelming:
- Plymouth Arts Cinema is run by a small and friendly team of staff and volunteers.
- The volume is much lower than at a multiplex.
- The house lights are left on a little.
- Capacity will be reduced to 75 seats.
- You are welcome to bring personal items such as blankets, ear defenders, that will help you enjoy the film but do not disrupt other people’s cinematic experience.
- You can move around, stretch your legs, make noise, or take breaks during the film (but we ask you to be mindful of other people’s personal space. For safety reasons, please note that running isn’t allowed in the cinema.)
- To find out more about accessibility in our building, please visit this page.
- The film will also be shown with descriptive subtitles.