I SWEAR - A FEW MINUTES WITH ROBERT ARAMAYO AND KIRK JONES

“I Swear” is a touching and heartwarming film about a young man who despite everything defied the odds.

Kirk Jones’ emotionally engaging, funny and compelling script charts John Davidson’s Tourette's diagnosis at the age of 15 years old. Set within 1980s Britain, the story follows him throughout his troubled teens and early adulthood, and explores this little known and entirely misunderstood condition, along with his attempts to live a ‘normal’ life against the odds.

The film stars award winning actor Robert Aramayo as John Davidson in powerful true-life performance telling the story of the Tourette’s Syndrome campaigner in a funny, moving and life affirming account of his life. From adolescence to adulthood, the film delivers hilarious and poignant details, exploring Tourette’s Syndrome, a condition that remains largely undiagnosed and misunderstood.

Written and directed by BAFTA Award nominee Kirk Jones, I Swear is the inspiring true story of John Davidson who, as a teenager in the early 1980s, was diagnosed with Tourette’s before much was understood about the condition and, after decades struggling to live with his own painful experiences, has become Scotland’s leading Tourette’s advocate and educator. In 2019, John Davidson accepted his MBE from Queen Elizabeth.  

I Swear also features an exceptional supporting cast including BAFTA Award and Cannes Film Festival Best Actor winner Peter Mullan (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Top of the Lake, Tyrannosaur, War Horse), BAFTA award nominee Maxine Peake (Say Nothing, Funny Cow, The Theory of Everything), and BAFTA award winning actress Shirley Henderson (Harry Potter, Bridget Jones, Trainspotting). 

Believing that authentic representation matters, the film’s producers worked closely with John Davidson and the larger TS community to cast individuals in the film who have Tourette’s. I Swear is a celebration of John Davidson’s life and the lives of all those with Tourette’s who endeavor to receive understanding and acceptance.

ABOUT JOHN DAVIDSON

John Davidson was diagnosed with Tourette’s at a time when there was no information available to the public regarding the condition. His parents were at a loss about how to deal with the developing symptoms which only contributed to his difficulties in learning to live with the condition. With help from Dottie, a friend’s mother, John was eventually able to secure work as a handyman as well as his own accommodation. 

While still a teenager, John was the subject of a BBC documentary which was widely viewed and greatly contributed to public awareness of Tourette’s Syndrome. He has participated in several follow-up documentaries as an adult. Over the past thirty-five years, John has also been heavily involved in supporting children and adults with Tourette’s, and creating and running Tourette’s Syndrome support groups in Scotland. 

In 2019, John was awarded an MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) by the Queen of England in recognition of this work. 

I spoke with Robert Aramayo and Writer Director Kirk Jones about the film.