Swallow Crowdfunding

Education in 2026 is at breaking point. Teachers are bullied and falsely accused by students, managers and parents, managed out by support plans, wrongly suspended and silenced by NDAs. I’m Kat Philippou-Curtis, filmmaker and former lecturer of film & media in further education, and I lived this nightmare.  

Have you been the victim of physical and verbal bullying from students?

Have you been falsely accused by your department heads?

Have you been made to feel guilty for students’ behaviour?

Have you been pushed out by ‘support plans’?

Have you faced unjust, biased disciplinary bordering on a witch-hunt?

Have you been forced to sign NDAs in order to get a reference?

Have your managers made up lies about you in order to get rid of you?

Is your mental health in pieces?  If yes, then SWALLOW is your voice.

I have experienced all the above. While writing legal responses with one hand, I was storyboarding with the other. While being dismantled professionally by people who thought had my back, I was rebuilding myself creatively. I wrote the script as therapy.  I've spent months of painful procedures to prove my innocence while on sick leave, and when I finally did, the senior leaders offered me compensation and a NDA to bury the truth under their very fat carpet.  I refused.

In August 2024, against all odds, we shot the film. Legendary actor, Bafta Winner and Golden Globe nominee Cathy Tyson became the driving force behind it, immediately after hearing my story.

For over a year, my partner Paul Curtis (Producer & VFX Supervisor) and I worked relentlessly. Both perfectionists, we made sure we had a quality film we'd be proud of At our test audience screening, 200 people left the cinema shocked, teary, emotional and eager to help. Their reaction to the film was beyond words. Beyond anything we could have imagined.