Open Air: VERFLUCHT NORMAL

No one could have imagined that the Queen would one day award the Order of the British Empire to an uncontrollable “problem child”—least of all John Davidson himself. In the early 1980s, John (Scott Ellis Watson) grows up in a small Scottish town. At the age of 12, he begins to suffer from severe nervous tics. The condition—which wouldn’t be diagnosed as Tourette syndrome until years later—turns his life into an endless gauntlet.

In his mid-20s, John (Robert Aramayo) is still living with his mother (Shirley Henderson). The side effects of the strong medication he relies on rob him of almost all his will to live, until a chance encounter with his school friend Murray and Murray’s mother Dottie (Maxine Peake) finally brings a turning point. Dottie is a nurse and accepts John just as he is. She welcomes him into her family and even finds him a job as an assistant to Tommy (Peter Mullan), the community center’s caretaker. A zany job interview, during which Tommy reacts to John’s tics like no one else, lays the foundation for a close friendship. Slowly, John finds the courage and confidence to lead a self-determined life and realizes how valuable his experiences are to others as well.

A perfect blend of socially realistic drama and heartwarming underdog comedy, *LONG LIVE NED DEVINE!* brings together two great British cinematic traditions. Based on the life of the real John Davidson, “LONG LIVE NED DEVINE!” director Kirk Jones tells the story in his emotional biopic—with plenty of humor and great warmth—of how John finds his way and becomes an inspiration to others despite exclusion and a lack of understanding due to his Tourette’s syndrome. In its home country of Great Britain, the film not only became an absolute audience favorite and box office hit, but lead actor Robert Aramayo also sensationally won the BAFTA for “Best Actor,” beating out competitors including Leonardo DiCaprio and Timothée Chalamet. 

As part of Cine k’s Open-Air Summer Cinema—July 30 through August 30, 2026. Doors open 45 minutes before the film starts; the film begins at dusk. Rain or shine: no cancellations due to bad weather; the film will be shown indoors instead.