Hold Me

Ella, a divorced mother, experiences that her fifteen-year-old daughter acts violently when she discovers that her mother has a new boyfriend.
The film “Hold Me” looks at the challenges divorced parents face when new family constellations are formed.

  • Tommy Naess
    Director
    Ella, Noora, Swimming Lessons, The Apartment, Brother,
  • Tommy Naess
    Writer
    Ella, Noora, Swimming Lessons, The Apartment, Brother,
  • Ina Lurkritzia Loven Borlaug
    Producer
    Ella, Noora
  • Ingjerd Egeberg
    Key Cast
    "Ella"
  • Kyrre Haugen Sydness
    Key Cast
    "Frank"
  • Øystein Martisen
    Key Cast
    "Karsten"
  • Alma Li Hjartnes
    Key Cast
    "Sara"
  • Oskar Dahlsbakken
    Cinematography
  • Henrik Hylland Uhlving
    Editor
  • Yngve Leidulv Sætre
    Sound Design
  • Erlend Apneseth
    Music
  • Lars-Martin Vågseter
    Production Designer
  • Stina Lunde
    Costume
  • Alicia Marchong Eidesund
    Casting
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    19 minutes 13 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    June 11, 2021
  • Production Budget:
    150,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Norway
  • Country of Filming:
    Norway
  • Language:
    Norwegian
  • Shooting Format:
    Arri Alexa, digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.39:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • The Norwegian Short film festival
    Grimstad
    Norway
    June 25, 2021
    Norwegian Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Clearmont-Ferrand
    Clearmont-ferrand
    France
    January 28, 2022
    “Short Film Market Picks”
  • Bergen International Film Festival
    Bergen
    Norway
    October 22, 2021
    Winner of best short film
Distribution Information
  • Filmselskapet.tv
    Distributor
    Country: Worldwide
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Tommy Naess

Short films: Brother 2012, The Apartment 2013, AlphaBravoCharlie 2014, Swimming Lessons 2015, Control 2016, Noora 2017, Mulm 2018, Ella 2019, Hold Me 2021

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

With this film, I continue with the same family and universe that I started in my previous short film called ELLA. With HOLD ME I begin the story of Ella and Sara. Here we get an insight into what everyday life is like for Ella, and I also want to bring out a mother's love for her daughter, no matter what challenges life offers.
How does a divorce affect our children, is it as easy as we think? Can and will children just accept that a new parent comes into the picture? These questions I try to enlighten with this short film.