Press Releases

NEW YORK, NY (October 24, 2025) – Sony Pictures Classics announced today that they have acquired all rights in the United States, Latin America, most of Eastern Europe, Turkey, Southeast Asia, Portugal and South Korea to I SWEAR, written and directed by BAFTA nominee Kirk Jones (WAKING NED DEVINE, NANNY MCPHEE). Following its world premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, the film has seen success at the UK box office, debuting at #3 for its opening weekend on October 10th and earning an impressive 100% from critics and audiences alike on Rotten Tomatoes. 

Based on the inspiring, extraordinary life story of notable Tourette’s Syndrome campaigner John Davidson, MBE, I SWEAR stars Robert Aramayo (THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RINGS OF POWER, GAME OF THRONES) with a supporting cast including three-time BAFTA nominee Maxine Peake (FUNNY COW, THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING), BAFTA winner Shirley Henderson (BRIDGET JONES: MAD ABOUT THE BOY, HARRY POTTER franchise) and Cannes Best Actor Award winner and Golden Lion winner Peter Mullan (WAR HORSE, THE MAGDALENE SISTERS). 

Jones’ emotionally engaging, funny and compelling script charts 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 production worked closely with the Tourette’s community, casting individuals who live with Tourette’s, and collaborated with a Tourette’s charity. 

I SWEAR is produced by Kirk Jones, Georgia Bayliff and Piers Tempest, for One Story High and Tempo Productions. Cindy Jones and John Davidson serve as Executive Producers.  

“I am thrilled to partner with Sony Pictures Classics on I SWEAR. Their history, vision, ambition and passion for what is a very special project for us, feels like a perfect fit for US and additional territories,” said Jones. 

Added Tempest, “We are delighted that I SWEAR is resonating so much with audiences in the United Kingdom and can’t think of better partners than Sony Pictures Classics to bring the film to US audiences and beyond.” 

Sony Pictures Classics said, “I SWEAR is one of those extraordinary, one-of-a-kind, true-to-life movies, emotionally engaging, funny and compelling. Many will identify as I SWEAR explores conquering an entirely misunderstood condition, by a young man and the people around him. Directed to perfection by Kirk Jones with amazing performances by Robert Aramayo and stalwarts Maxine Peake, Shirley Henderson and Peter Mullan, I SWEAR will be adored by audiences everywhere.” 

The deal was negotiated between Sony Pictures Classics and Bankside Films on behalf of the filmmakers. 

ABOUT SONY PICTURES CLASSICS
Michael Barker and Tom Bernard serve as co-presidents of Sony Pictures Classics—an autonomous division of Sony Pictures Entertainment they founded with Marcie Bloom in January 1992—which distributes, produces, and acquires independent films from around the world.  Barker and Bernard have released prestigious films that have won 42 Academy Awards® (38 of those at Sony Pictures Classics) and have garnered 190 Academy Award® nominations (164 at Sony Pictures Classics) including Best Picture nominations for I’M STILL HERE, THE FATHER, CALL ME BY YOUR NAME, WHIPLASH, AMOUR, MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, AN EDUCATION, CAPOTE, HOWARDS END, and CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON.  

ABOUT SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition, and distribution; television production, acquisition, and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services. http://www.sonypictures.com/corp/divisions.html.

ABOUT ONE STORY HIGH
One Story High was founded by UK-based director and writer Kirk Jones. Trained at the Newport Film School in 1985, Jones focused on comedy, drama and TV commercials.  After a successful career directing award-winning ads in the UK, Europe and the U.S., he transitioned into feature films. Jones’ selected credits include WAKING NED DEVINE (BAFTA-nominated; global box office hit), NANNY MCPHEE (Working Title/Universal; Emma Thompson, Colin Firth), EVERYBODY’S FINE (Miramax; Robert De Niro, Drew Barrymore), WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU’RE EXPECTING (Lionsgate; Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez), and MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING 2 (Playtone; produced by Tom Hanks & Rita Wilson). I SWEAR is the first project to come out of One Story High and sets the tone for what will be commercial passion projects. 

ABOUT TEMPO PRODUCTIONS
Tempo Productions credits include: OYSTER FARMER directed by Anna Reeves, which was nominated for ‘Best Picture’ at the AFI Awards and opened the Commonwealth Film Festival; LIKE MINDS starring Academy Award® winner Eddie Redmayne and Toni Collette; GRABBERS, which premiered at Sundance and was the recipient of five film festival audience awards. CHURCHILL starring Brian Cox, Miranda Richardson, John Slattery and Ella Purnell released by Lionsgate in the UK. Nick Hamm’s THE JOURNEY starring Tim Spall, Colm Meaney, Toby Stephens, Freddie Highmore and John Hurt which premiered at the Venice and Toronto film festivals, Sony Picture Classics’ THE WIFE starring Glenn Close, who won the 2019 Golden Globe, SAG Award, Critics Choice and Independent Spirit award and was nominated for a BAFTA and Academy Award® for her performance. DRIVEN, starring Jason Sudeikis, Lee Pace, Judy Greer and Corey Stoll which was selected as the closing film at the Venice Film Festival in 2018 and released by Universal in Summer 2019 and the feature documentary, TEDDY PENDERGRASS: IF YOU DON’T KNOW ME with BBC Films. IFTA Best picture winner ORDINARY LOVE starring Liam Neeson and Lesley Manville, MILITARY WIVES starring Kristin Scott Thomas and Sharon Horgan and Dean Craig’s LOVE WEDDING REPEAT for Netflix. 

Recent releases include EMILY starring Emma Mackey released by Warner Bros, BANK OF DAVE 1 and 2 which topped the UK charts for Netflix, UNWELCOME starring Hannah John Kamen and Douglas Booth and GIGI & NATE starring Marcia Gay Harden, Charlie Rowe, Jim Belushi and Josephine Langford. Carlson Young’s UPGRADED with Gulfstream Pictures starring Camila Mendes and Marisa Tomei which was Prime’s second most viewed film globally in 2024 and Nick Hamm’s historical epic WILLIAM TELL which premiered at TIFF in 2024. Kirk Jones’ I SWEAR was released in 2025 and premiered at TIFF and was the UK’s number one film in its first week of release. 

Upcoming 2025 releases include Vicky Jewson’s BALLERINA OVERDRIVE produced with Gulfstream Pictures / 87 North and ROSE’S BABY directed by Trudie Styler and produced with Maven Screen Media.