Hold Me Down (film)

Last updated
Hold Me Down
Directed byNiclas Gillis
Written byNiclas Gillis
Produced byNiclas Gillis
StarringTianna Allen
Tanisha Lambright
Cheryl Juniaus
Prince Combs
CinematographyNiclas Gillis
Edited byNiclas Gillis
Music byJonas Söderman Bohlin
Production
companies
The Collectif
More Media 
Distributed byBob Film Sweden
Release date
Running time
28 minutes
CountriesSweden
United States
LanguageEnglish

Hold Me Down is a 2017 Swedish-American drama short film written and directed by Niclas Gillis. The story is based on true events and features a cast of non-actors from the Bronx, New York; among them Tianna Allen, Tanisha Lambright, Cheryl Juniaus, and Prince Combs. The title is American slang, meaning "be there for me".

Contents

The film depicts a day in the life of a 19-year-old single mother who works as a stripper at an illegal nightclub to support her child. It is filmed on location in the South Bronx: in the Mott Haven public housing, the New York City Subway, a local Chinese take-out, and an active brothel. With a running time of 28 minutes, it sets out to explore the cyclical nature of American poverty and the conditions that push many girls and young women into prostitution. Following its world premiere at the Gothenburg International Film Festival, Hold Me Down has been lauded by critics for its authoritative realism and the outstanding performances of the cast, called "a powerful, powerful drama" by CNN. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

Due to the complex nature of the production, Hold Me Down would take nearly three years to complete. Produced by The Collectif and More Media with support from IFP, the film was retroactively funded by The Swedish Film Institute and Sveriges Television (the national Swedish broadcaster) which included the film in its program "Moving Sweden". In order for the film to qualify for Swedish funding, post production was done in Stockholm with the participation of Swedish production company Bob Film Sweden, which assumed European rights to the film.

Cast

Production

Development

Niclas Gillis first became aware of the issues that the film addresses when he moved to New York from his native Sweden in 2009, then 19 years of age. As one of the only white male students living on campus at the college he attended, he was invited by fellow residents to what he thought would be a regular house party in Harlem but that proved to be an illicit event similar to the one depicted in the film. After witnessing a young woman have sex with a man on the floor of a crowded room for single dollar bills, he was shocked and asked her if she was okay. She told him that she had a two-year-old daughter and that this was what she had to do to survive. [6]

Jarred by what he witnessed and the understanding that her predicament was not unique, Gillis began to more seriously study U.S. history and its bearings on present-day socioeconomics. Upon realizing the scope of the problem - what he perceived to be gross societal inequities - and feeling that that "reality" had not been adequately documented, Gillis set out to make a film that he hoped would shed light on some of the struggles endured by women in poverty in the United States. [7]

In January, 2014, Gillis revisited a similar event for the purpose of getting in touch with the women affected and begin the project. At a blacked-out barbershop in Queens that served as a brothel at night, Gillis met Unique Adams, a young woman then pregnant with her first child. Over the course of the next several months, Gillis and Adams met regularly to talk about her life, the struggles that she faced, and what she hoped that the film would convey. She invited Gillis to the events she worked and taped dressing room conversations for him to study. Throughout the process of writing, Gillis would read aloud for Adams to confirm the authenticity of the depiction. [8]

Pre-Production

When the screenplay was completed, Adams introduced Gillis to Prince Combs, a Bronx resident familiar to the "after-hours" circuit. Impressed by the authenticity of the screenplay and what he perceived to be an important subject, Combs came on board as Associate Producer in the summer of 2014 and would remain Gillis' closest collaborator for the next several years. Feeling that it would be important that each role be played by women who had real-life experience of the struggles depicted, Gillis, Combs and friends handed out 10,000 flyers in the streets of the Bronx, and put up hundreds of posters in the public housing projects in the area, advertising the castings. In Combs' studio, the two interviewed hundreds of women survivors of sexual abuse, violence, and prostitution. Over the course of nine months, the cast was assembled through the process of auditions, callbacks, screen tests, and rehearsals. [8]

Funding

To go into production, Gillis raised 70,000 dollars through private sponsors (Michael Huffington, Jacqueline Gill, and Ruth and Hans Blixt), and 30,000 dollars via Kickstarter together with co-EP Lucy Bidwell, in addition to the 47,000 dollars that he personally borrowed and the 30,000 dollars that More Media lent to the production on the hope that the film would eventually be picked up by The Swedish Film Institute. Five months after filming, in January 2016, the institute together with Sveriges Television finally approved their application, including Hold Me Down in the 3% of films awarded the "Moving Sweden" grant. Post production was thus relocated to Sweden, where Gillis completed the film with the participation of Bob Film Sweden. [9]

Filming

Hold Me Down was shot entirely on location in the South Bronx: in the Mott Haven housing projects, in a local Chinese restaurant, on the New York subway, and in an actual brothel. It was filmed on a RED Epic Dragon with anamorphic lenses from Panavision by DP Steve Annis, line produced by Joshua Martinez, over the course of six days. Gillis has described his approach to directing actors as being influenced by Elia Kazan and John Cassavetes, providing the actors with psychological instigators (rather than requesting specific expressions) that achieve more lifelike performances.

Post Production

Post production was done in Sweden throughout 2016. The score was composed by Jonas Söderman Bohlin and performed by renowned cellist Kati Raitinen. Sound design was done by Aleksander Karshikoff at Across the Alley and the grade by Ola Bäccman. Visual cleanup was done by William and Sebastian Rosso. The film was edited by Niclas Gillis. Before the end credits begin, it reads "To Unique". [10]

Release

Reception

Following its world premiere at the Gothenburg International Film Festival, Hold Me Down has been universally lauded by critics, called "a powerful, powerful drama" by CNN. [1] “Hands down near the very top of the list of the best films I've seen in 2018 and many other years as well”, Unseen Films; [11] “I’ve seen a lot of short films in my 37 years, and I’m finding it difficult to recall one that was more emotionally affecting than Hold Me Down", Cultured Vulture; [12] “Raw and teeming with social dialogue, Hold Me Down is a powerhouse short film that takes a sledgehammer to gender roles whilst never loosening its grip on the audience’s collar”, UK Film Review. [13] Hold Me Down won the award for Best Short Film at Harlem International Film Festival, played on Sveriges Television (the national Swedish broadcaster), as well as SVT Play, and became a Vimeo Staff Pick following its online release in 2018. [14]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swedish krona</span> Currency of Sweden

The krona is the currency of the Kingdom of Sweden. It is one of the currencies of the European Union. Both the ISO code "SEK" and currency sign "kr" are in common use for the krona; the former precedes or follows the value, the latter usually follows it but, especially in the past, it sometimes preceded the value. In English, the currency is sometimes referred to as the Swedish crown, as krona means "crown" in Swedish. The Swedish krona was the ninth-most traded currency in the world by value in April 2016.

<i>Sunset Boulevard</i> (film) 1950 film by Billy Wilder

Sunset Boulevard is a 1950 American black comedy film noir directed by Billy Wilder and co-written by Wilder and Charles Brackett. It is named after a major street that runs through Hollywood.

<i>1776</i> (musical) 1969 musical by Sherman Edwards and Peter Stone

1776 is a musical with music and lyrics by Sherman Edwards and a book by Peter Stone. The show is based on the events leading up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence, telling a story of the efforts of John Adams to persuade his colleagues to vote for American independence and to sign the document. The show premiered on Broadway in 1969 where it received acclaim and won three Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The original production starred William Daniels as Adams, Ken Howard as Thomas Jefferson, and Howard Da Silva as Benjamin Franklin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pernilla Wahlgren</span> Swedish singer and actress

Pernilla Nina Elisabet Wahlgren is a Swedish singer and actress. She has sung in Melodifestivalen several times; her 1985 entry titled "Piccadilly Circus" became popular and successful. She has acted in several plays and films, playing roles including Esmeralda in the Academy Award-winning Fanny and Alexander. She has twice received the Guldmasken award for her work in theater.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heidi Fleiss</span> American madam (born 1965)

Heidi Lynne Fleiss is an American former procurer. She ran an upscale prostitution ring based in Los Angeles and is often referred to as the "Hollywood Madam". Fleiss has also worked as a columnist and was a television personality regularly featured in the 1990s in American media.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kelly McGillis</span> American actress (born 1957)

Kelly Ann McGillis is an American actress. She is known for her film roles such as Rachel Lapp in Witness (1985), for which she received Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations; Charlie in Top Gun (1986); Made in Heaven (1987); The House on Carroll Street (1988); and as Katheryn Murphy in The Accused (1988). In her later career, she has starred in horror films such as Stake Land (2010), The Innkeepers (2011), and We Are What We Are (2013).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Huffington</span> American politician

Roy Michael Huffington Jr. is an American politician, LGBT activist, and film producer. He was a member of the Republican Party, and a congressman for one term, 1993–1995, from California. Huffington was married to Arianna Huffington, the Greek-born co-founder of HuffPost, from 1986 to 1997.

<i>Sunset Boulevard</i> (musical) 1993 musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber

Sunset Boulevard is a sung-through musical with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, and lyrics and libretto by Don Black and Christopher Hampton. It is based on the 1950 film of the same title.

<i>Lilya 4-ever</i> 2002 film by Lukas Moodysson

Lilya 4-ever is a 2002 crime drama film written and directed by Lukas Moodysson, which was released in Sweden on 23 August 2002. It depicts the downward spiral of Lilja Michailova, played by Oksana Akinshina, a girl in the former Soviet Union whose mother abandons her to move to the United States. The story is loosely based on the true case of Danguolė Rasalaitė, and examines the issue of human trafficking and sexual slavery.

<i>The Adventures of Barry McKenzie</i> 1972 Australian film by Bruce Beresford

The Adventures of Barry McKenzie is a 1972 Australian comedy film directed by Bruce Beresford and starring Barry Crocker and Barry Humphries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I'm Coming Out</span> 1980 song recorded by Diana Ross

"I'm Coming Out" is a song recorded by American singer Diana Ross. It was written and produced by Chic members Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers, and released on August 22, 1980, as the second single from Diana’s self-titled eleventh album, Diana (1980).

<i>Winter Light</i> 1963 film

Winter Light is a 1963 Swedish drama film written and directed by Ingmar Bergman and starring his regulars, Gunnar Björnstrand, Ingrid Thulin and Max von Sydow. It follows Tomas Ericsson (Björnstrand), pastor of a small rural Swedish church, as he deals with an existential crisis and his Christianity.

<i>Rescued from an Eagles Nest</i> 1908 film

Rescued from an Eagle's Nest is a 1908 American silent action-drama film produced by Edwin S. Porter for Edison Studios and directed by J. Searle Dawley. It features the first leading screen role of the legendary American filmmaker D. W. Griffith, whose directorial debut was released just six months after he performed in this production. Griffith's casting in the Edison "photoplay" began when he found himself stranded and broke in New York City after a play he authored had failed. Desperate for money, he responded to Edison's offer to pay $15 to anyone who submitted a useable treatment or scenario based on the Puccini opera Tosca. Porter rejected Griffith's submission, but the studio executive did offer him the lead role in Rescued from an Eagle's Nest. A full print of this film survives in the extensive collection of moving images at the Museum of Modern Art. Only one other film in which Griffith appears as an actor survives.

<i>Doubt</i> (2008 film) 2008 American drama film

Doubt is a 2008 American drama film written and directed by John Patrick Shanley, based on his Pulitzer Prize-winning and Tony Award-winning 2004 stage play Doubt: A Parable. Produced by Scott Rudin, the film takes place in a Catholic elementary school named for St. Nicholas. The film stars Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, and Viola Davis.

<i>Let the Right One In</i> (film) 2008 Swedish romantic horror film

Let the Right One In is a 2008 Swedish romantic horror film directed by Tomas Alfredson, based on the 2004 novel of the same title by John Ajvide Lindqvist, who also wrote the screenplay. The film tells the story of a bullied 12-year-old boy who develops a friendship with a strange child in Blackeberg, a suburb of Stockholm, in the early 1980s.

Anna Carlström, née Vickberg was a Swedish procurer and brothel owner. She was the manager of the brothel "London" in Stockholm, one of the two brothels, London and Stadt Hamburg, which were supported by the authorities in a temporary experiment between 1838 and 1841 to control the spread of sexually transmitted disease. She was the owner of one of only two unique brothel licenses ever issued in her country at the time. Anna Carlström published her memoires in 1841.

"Moving On" is the sixteenth episode of the ninth season of the American comedy television series The Office and the 192nd episode overall. The episode was written by Graham Wagner and directed by Jon Favreau. It originally aired on NBC on February 14, 2013. The episode guest stars Bob Odenkirk, Mary Gillis, Collette Wolfe, and Andy Buckley. The episode also features the return of former series regular Zach Woods as Gabe Lewis.

<i>Disobedience</i> (2017 film) 2017 film by Sebastián Lelio

Disobedience is a 2017 romantic drama film directed by Sebastián Lelio and written by Lelio and Rebecca Lenkiewicz, based on the 2006 novel of the same name by Naomi Alderman. The film stars Rachel Weisz, Rachel McAdams, and Alessandro Nivola. Set in North London, it tells the story of a woman who returns to the strict Orthodox Jewish community for her father's funeral after living in New York for many years, having been estranged from her father and ostracised by the community for a reason that becomes clearer as the story unfolds. The film was produced by Weisz, Ed Guiney, and Frida Torresblanco.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nano Omar</span> Swedish singer and songwriter

Nagi Jamal Omar, better known as simply Nano, is a Swedish singer and songwriter. He first came to prominence while competing in Melodifestivalen 2017.

Carl Johan Axel Alkenäs is a Swedish songwriter and producer. He studied at Örebro Kulturskola and has authored or produced a great number of songs worldwide many becoming charting hits. He collaborated closely with the Swedish songwriter Joacim Persson and with Niclas Molinder and has co-written a number of soundtracks for Disney films.

References

  1. 1 2 "Sexual abuse survivors healing through film". 10 May 2018.
  2. ↑ "Psykbryt, åldriga hipsters och kulturmän - DN.SE". Dagens Nyheter. 16 June 2017.
  3. ↑ "Hold Me Down".
  4. ↑ "Moving Sweden: 5 starka kortfilmer får premiär på Göteborg Film Festival".
  5. ↑ Radio, Sveriges (21 June 2017). "Från snöig småstad till framtidsboende i Moving Sweden - Kulturnytt". Sveriges Radio.
  6. ↑ "HOLD ME DOWN". Kickstarter.
  7. ↑ "Hold Me Down". holdmedown.org.
  8. 1 2 "Niclas Gillis och Tanisha Lambright om filmen Hold me down". Sveriges Radio.
  9. ↑ "Fly myggen på onsdagkvällarna – åtta nya Moving Sweden-filmer på SVT i sommar". Svenska Filminstitutet. 15 June 2017.
  10. ↑ "Hold Me Down". 29 January 2017 – via www.imdb.com.
  11. ↑ "Hold Me Down (2017)". www.unseenfilms.net.
  12. ↑ "Hold Me Down (2018) REVIEW - A Powerful Film You Should Watch Right Now". 9 March 2018.
  13. ↑ "Film Reviews and Movie Trailers | UK Film Review". 17 March 2018.
  14. ↑ Down, Hold Me (14 March 2018). "Hold Me Down (full film)" – via Vimeo.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.