John Davidson, a passionate campaigner and activist who received an MBE in 2019, was first brought to public attention through the acclaimed documentary John’s Not Mad, which was voted one of the 50 Greatest Documentaries by the British public in 2005. But what sparked John’s journey into advocacy? A diagnosis of Tourette syndrome at the age of 15.
In 1980s Britain, when John was growing up, awareness of Tourette’s was virtually nonexistent.
Now, his story is being retold in this powerful new biopic offering a raw and moving account of John’s early struggles with stigma and isolation, and how he ultimately found resilience through adversity.
I Swear, written and directed by Kirk Jones (Nanny McPhee), stars Robert Aramayo (The Rings of Power) as John, alongside Peter Mullan, Shirley Henderson, and Maxine Peake. Critics have praised the film as “laugh-out-loud funny,” deeply moving, and potentially life-changing.
Through I Swear, audiences will witness how John overcame prejudice to become a nationally recognised advocate for Tourette syndrome - culminating in his MBE, awarded by the late Queen Elizabeth II.
The Victoria Institute • Tarrant Street 10, BN18 9DG Arundel, England, United Kingdom
