You.Sleep.Stay

David Grabias

World premiere

81-year-old Fred has lived in a state institution for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities for 50 years. Now, with the facility closing, he reunites with his brother to search for a new place to call home. Through Fred’s journey, this documentary explores time, community, and the undeniable bond of family.

Deaf and unable to sign or speak, Fred Ashnaugh has lived at Polk State School since childhood after his family, overwhelmed by his severe developmental delays, could no longer care for him. Though mentally at a 37-month level, he communicates through emotions, gestures, and sounds, forming bonds with his caregivers.

Now 81, Fred faces an uncertain future as the institution closes. Despite his infrequent visits, his brother John shares a deep, unbroken bond with Fred and helps him find a new place of residence. As Fred and John reconnect, the film unearths past traumas, exploring their fractured relationship and their mother’s struggles—revealed through old journals—making Fred’s fate feel both heartbreaking and inevitable. 

Talks

Premiere: Q&A with director David Grabias

Sat 22 March
18:00
Filmhuis Den Haag
More info

Credits

Director
David Grabias
Producer
Anne Edgar, Mj Shahen
Year
2025
Country of production
United States
Type
Documentary
Duration
95 minutes
Spoken language
English, New Zealand Sign Language
Subtitles
EN
Production company
Artifact Studios