Swallow

Swallow is the voice of silenced teachers. It is based on Kat Philippou Curtis’s personal experiences of mistreatment while working as a lecturer of film in a Sixth Form College. Swallow is a gripping and unflinching portrayal of what many teachers endure behind closed classroom and boardroom doors - experiences that are rarely seen on screen because so many educators are silenced by NDAs, institutional pressure, and fear of retaliation.

The film stars BAFTA-winning actor Cathy Tyson, whose performance anchors the story with raw emotional force.

The powerful portrayal reveals the emotional and mental toll of toxic leadership, classroom abuse, false accusations and how teachers are pushed to their limits by a system that prioritises profit over people. 

Writer/Director Kat Philippou-Curtis said:
“My story is not exceptional. It is frighteningly common. This is a national scandal, an overlooked crisis that is heading to epidemic levels. Silence only protects the system - not the people inside it. Respect, kindness, and empathy are slowly disappearing. Social media desensitisation has warped behaviour, and cruelty is often dismissed as humour. Teachers are expected to manage extreme behaviour without authority, training, or support. In the end those who suffer are not only the teachers, but the students, and especially the vulnerable students who want to learn.

Like Adolescence, Swallow exposes the shocking reality of our society.

The current data is stark. According to the NASUWT Behaviour Survey 2025:

90% of teachers report verbal abuse or violence from pupils.
33,000 violent incidents last year involved a weapon.
86% of teachers are experiencing mental health difficulties.