"Human, almost tangible, with scents that can be felt—delicately composed images reveal the face of reality. The colors bloom at the sight of the children, while the black and white depicts the harsh reality that takes away the hope for a happy future. The exploited child protection system is on its last breath, burying its victims under a military-like order. Is there hope? The film provides ammunition, there must be a continuation, built on new foundations. Congratulations!"
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Professional

"You've made a very beautiful and meaningful film. It's stunning, poetic, very sad, but not overwhelmingly heavy in the way these kinds of documentaries often are. I teared up. The narration is excellent, and the main character/creator is great. The editing is fantastic, the visuals are beautiful, and of course, the music is perfect. You've found the topic."

Sós B.

"I really liked the film itself. It’s a well-structured, harmonious piece of work that allows not only those within the so-called 'child protection' system to understand, but also 'outsiders' can grasp what the system is really like. The stories we listened to are touching for everyone, but the film does not paint a distorted picture. It shows the struggles these children, now adults, had to face to reach adulthood—struggles that, in a 'normal' family, would have been much easier. (Not always, of course.) In short, I highly recommend it to anyone who is not closed off to the topic. Thank you for allowing me to watch it, it was wonderful!"
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Involved

Viewer

"A very sad story unfolded before us, and I think it should be shown in many places. Congratulations, we look forward to the continuation!"

Viewer

"I have been working in child protection for 19 years, and in the profession for 34 years. Yes, the film says what we have known for a long time and what we increasingly sense day by day. It has always been a dilemma when we sometimes made the decision that a child needs to leave their biological family, but after seeing this film, the doubts have only grown stronger. Unfortunately, the system does not work well, and there is no room even for urgent cases. It is painful and instructive to see this world through the eyes of the suffering subjects. In the current situation, I see no other solution than to try to get the maximum out of hopeless situations, and if nothing else exists within a family except attachment, let’s try to make families minimally capable so that these children can get a little better than the worse from life. Perseverance, Tamara Labovszky, on this rocky road!!! Anyone who can, should watch the film—it will even shock the professionals, and for outsiders,
it’s important to get a glimpse of this world! Social responsibility is a shared one!"

Professional

"This afternoon, I attended the screening of the new Hungarian film Fogd a kezem / Hold My Hand at Bem Cinema, which was invited by Éva Hennel – a mediator and mental health professional, who also moderated the post-film discussion with the creators. The topic, I believe, affects everyone in one way or another. Most of all, deeply. And while it doesn't directly relate to my blog, I'm sharing it here in case it reaches more people this way. The film itself, its message, and the real, human stories and emotions it tells are so powerful. I must also mention how captivating its visuals are—both realistic and artistic—making the narrative and the storylines so much more relatable. So much is swirling in your head while watching. Since I don't have children (although not by choice), and I don't personally know anyone who grew up in state care, foster homes, or child protection institutions (or I’m not aware of it…), these film experiences and the conversations related to them are the ones that can reveal the problems and traumatic events connected to this issue. There's much to reflect on…"
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Youteefool

"Today, I had the opportunity to gain insight into one of the lesser-known problems of Hungarian society through the film Hold My Hand (Fogd a kezem), which highlights a serious disadvantage of the state that is neither widely known nor discussed in the media. It was very moving to experience it as part of a sensitizing program. The film pointed out the situations faced by children in state care, which, similar to the healthcare and education systems, is often overlooked. However, because fewer people/children are involved, the situation is less addressed, and it demonstrates the poor practical functioning of child protection in state care—a system in which decision-making is not handled by professionals with the necessary expertise. I highly recommend it, as it addresses a topic that indirectly affects everyone, since the foster care system is interconnected with other public sectors (studies, healthcare). The biggest problem is that the malfunctioning of the system impacts the children, who are in no way to blame for the situation! Every child deserves to live in love, in a family, and have the chance to create meaningful experiences."
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Viewer