Tracy Willits
Recently shown in Parliament with a Call to Action (November 2023) and submitted as evidence to the Covid-19 inquiry, this moving and intimate documentary gives a voice to vulnerable people and raises challenging questions about the benefits system.
Pip, Pop and a Pandemic follows two couples through lockdown and shows how their lives in North East England were turned upside down by a mental health crisis and global pandemic.
It reminds us of the large gap in life expectancy for people with a serious mental illness who tend to die 15 to 20 years younger than the general population.
Set against the beautiful backdrop of the Northumberland coast the film is raw and emotional and ultimately tragic, but with two love stories at its heart is told with both humour and warmth.
Synopsis
Musician Ed used to be in a well-known pop band in the eighties but now cares for his mentally ill wife. At times he finds life unbearable but vows he could never leave Catarina whom he loves dearly. As the film unfolds Ed reveals his coping mechanisms - music, classic TV and a dependence on alcohol.
Pauline was diagnosed with severe schizophrenia at the age of 14. The film starts on the day of her engagement party to her boyfriend George - a day she thought would never come after spending most of her life in various mental health institutions due to the severity of her illness. Pauline’s parents and brother talk openly about how her diagnosis affected the whole family.
But when the Covid pandemic strikes, both couples’ extraordinary relationships are put to the test by unimaginable new challenges. Set against the beautiful back drop of the Northumberland coast and with classical guitar and original music by Ed, the film highlights the consequences of cuts to our mental health services and the inadequacies of the benefits system.
Please note that this film contains adult themes, references to suicide and strong language.
Preview film reviews
This film is a real eye opener. The access Tracy Willits has to two couples whose lives are dominated by schizophrenia is remarkable. Without being in any way preachy, it forces us to think about the priorities we have as a society, how we value (or don’t) people with severe mental health problems. The toll on the carers, loving elderly parents as well as partners, is hard to watch but heartwarming and often uplifting.
‘Pip, Pop and A Pandemic’ is also about two moving love stories, about loyalty in the face of the most adverse situations. We see benefits denied but then reinstated, lives lived with dignity below the poverty line and in the face of anti-social behaviour, illness - physical as well as mental - and the pressures brought about by the Covid-19 restrictions.
I defy anyone not to feel emotional after watching this film. And, for me, it was impossible not to ask: can’t we, as a society, do better than this?
"Tracy Willits' documentary, Pip, Pop and a Pandemic is a powerful and distressing film providing a rare insight into the nature and impact of schizophrenia - and mental illness more widely - in two northern families. Filmed before and during the pandemic, it demonstrates how the effect of the Covid lockdowns was even greater for the most vulnerable in society."
Pip, Pop and a Pandemic is a powerful insight into experiences of people with mental illness who through no fault of their own find themselves at the mercy of an uncaring benefits system.
The film shines a light on a systematic failure to treat people with compassion and respect, robbing them of a chance of happy, independent lives in the process.
This is no easy watch and stands as an indictment of our society and cruel way it treats the vulnerable, as Pauline herself says “its like you don’t exist”.
We need to have hope this can change. Mental health problems can afflict anybody, and we should put an arm round these people and treat them with compassion and dignity
The compelling human-interest story at the heart of the film cuts through a complex issue and demands action. The audience and expert panel at the event were clearly moved to watch the cruel reality of the benefits system piling yet more pressure on the lives of the film's engaging yet vulnerable characters.
Film-maker Tracy has turned sensitive storytelling into a powerful weapon for change.
"Many thanks for inviting me to your remarkable film last night. I was very moved by it. What was most striking to me – and pleased me most – was the film was not just about the experience of schizophrenia but also about poverty, the benefit system and, often very beautifully, the love and loyalty of the people".
"Pip, Pop and a Pandemic observes the highs and lows of two couples as they struggle to come to terms with the increased cost of living, eviction , death threats and deteriorating health. The film offers a timely look inside a world rarely seen on film. The result is a heartwarming but damning indictment of how people with mental health disorders are neglected and forgotten".
"I just wanted to drop you a note to thank you for the invitation to the documentary last night.I brought one of my daughters with me who is doing a masters in neuroscience and who is interested in schizophrenia. We both thought the documentary was outstanding and we chatted animatedly about it all the way to the train station. A beautiful, important and moving piece.You should be proud".
"I just wanted to drop you a note to thank you for the invitation to the documentary last night.I brought one of my daughters with me who is doing a masters in neuroscience and who is interested in schizophrenia. We both thought the documentary was outstanding and we chatted animatedly about it all the way to the train station. A beautiful, important and moving piece.You should be proud".
Pippop images
Meet the crew
Tracy Willits
Matt Dennis
Alex Crowton
Tracy Willits (Producer/Director) Tracy is a Senior Lecturer in Media Production at York St John with a previous career in broadcast television spanning over 20 years.
She started out as a researcher in BBC Factual Entertainment before working as a producer at GMTV and Granada overseeing Lorraine Live and This Morning.
A move to Mandrill Television in York led to Tracy producing numerous formatted documentary series for Discovery Health and Sky.
Filmed over an 18 month period Pip, Pop and a Pandemic is her first feature length film which she describes as a mix between a real-life I Daniel Blake and The Boy Whose Skin Fell Off.
Matthew Dennis (Editor) Matt is Creative Director at Teesside University and an experienced editor with over 30 years in Editing and Post Production for TV, Film and Animation.
His various awards and nominations include an RTS Best Non-Broadcast Factual award for the documentary feature 'Addicted to Sheep' (Editor)), 2 BAFTA Best Animated Short Film nominations for the documentary 'A is for Autism' (Editor) and 'El Caminante' (Editor) and a BAFTA Sound Department nomination for the 6 part BBC period drama 'Middlemarch' (Dubbing Editor).
Alex Crowton (Cinematographer) Alex is a Senior Lecturer in Media Production and a documentary filmmaker with extensive experience in both film and television production having worked as a freelance camera operator and provided lighting and sound operation for live events and broadcast.
Alex’s Director credits include Lost Legends: Jack Nitzsche, and The Sad and Beautiful World of Sparklehorse (2016) – Winner Best Feature Film Skyline Indie Film Festival 2017, which takes an in depth look at the dramatic life of Mark Linkous , an influential figure in the alternative music scene.
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