Alum seeks to cast light on mental illness in ‘Holden On’

Nearly 19 years ago, the suicide of teenager Holden Layfield shook the small town of LaGrange, Ga.

The community of LaGrange has since come together in support of “Holden On,” a film based on the true events of Layfield’s troubled life and death, written and to be directed by UCLA alumnus Tamlin Hall, a LaGrange native who knew Layfield growing up.

The film, currently in its fundraising stage, will follow Layfield’s last few years of high school as he struggles with schizophrenia and drug abuse.

“It’s a story of (Layfield)’s dual diagnosis and his self-medication process dealing with schizophrenia,” said James Cooney, one of the film’s producers.

Hall has been working on the script for nearly seven years. He said Layfield was older than he was, but they grew up in the same town, and went to church and high school together. As for many in LaGrange, Layfield’s suicide was Hall’s first experience with death.

“He was going through so much, yet he maintained his humanity and his ability to relate to others,” Hall said. “This film is a non-glorification that hones in on (Layfield) and his family’s struggles.”

Hall got the rights to the film in 2008 and moved back to LaGrange to do research for the script. He went through the town’s archives, read books on mental illness and interviewed Layfield’s friends and family members.

“When I started talking to (Layfield)’s parents, they said they were happy because they’d never gotten to talk about this,” Hall said. “People don’t know how to discuss it. They want to be respectful, but there’s a lack of communication.”

Kami Adams, Layfield’s high school friend, said that after Layfield ran away from home, he would call her at odd hours and she would drive him to her parents’ house to take care of him.

“I didn’t realize how bad his illness was. One night he opened up about the voices that told him to do terrible things,” Adams said. “That’s why this (film) is so important – maybe a 16-year-old in my position now would know what to do, whereas I didn’t.”

Adams said, despite his illness, Layfield was always very positive and kind. In his senior year of high school, he was voted “friendliest,” and the two-finger peace sign he holds up in his yearbook photo has become a symbol for the film.

“His death had a strong impact on the entire community. Our household, our church groups – it was one of those events that defines a timeline, before and after,” said Jaime Holliman, who also went to school with Layfield.

The “after” is gaining momentum with “Holden On.” Adams is one of the organizers of a benefit concert that will take place on April 18 to raise money for the film. Holliman’s family has offered housing for the cast and crew, who will start shooting in LaGrange sometime in the coming year.

“I got an email … from a guy who owns a restaurant who wanted to help out. He said he’d donate at least three meals for the cast and crew,” Hall said. “And (now), a general manager at another restaurant offered four meals for all of us.”

On March 7, Hall created a Kickstarter to raise $33,000, a third of the film’s budget. Four weeks later, he had exceeded his goal, collecting $38,858.

Hall said the overwhelmingly supportive response of his hometown has bolstered his confidence that he can create more than a film out of “Holden On.”

“We want to capture (Layfield)’s traits of acceptance, compassion, generosity and throw that into the movement. We want to help prevent suicide through art,” Hall said.

One way Hall is doing this is through “The Art House” space of his website, where users dealing with substance abuse or mental issues can display art – from poetry to dance and painting – to encourage and support one other.

Hall said he feels a responsibility to lay open the unvoiced struggles faced by Layfield and others dealing with mental health issues.

“We live in a visual society. If you don’t have an arm, no one will ask you to pick something up. But with mental illness, people ask you to stop acting or reacting in a certain way,” Cooney said. “I hope the film allows the discussion to be opened – for there to be understanding.”

Hall said he has received many grateful emails in support of his film from people facing mental health problems, as well as from their friends and family members.

“Society would prefer to look the other way, and there are families that are encountering this with their own children who feel separated and don’t get the support they need,” Holliman said. “This film can really shed some light on what happens for those who have dual diagnoses, and how it impacts their family, friends and community.”