66 Months

Over a period of six years, director James Bluemel and producer Gordon Wilson followed epileptic alcoholic Nigel (37) from Oxford, England, who managed to slip through the net of the welfare system for 66 months. Self-mutilation, alcohol, and childlike delusions mean Nigel is a vulnerable man. In the words of his social worker, "Nigel has been abused financially, sexually, and emotionally for years." She's referring to the days when, while out "in the wild," a man named Robbie took Nigel under his wings. He was like a father to Nigel, while at the same time absolutely unfit for the role of caregiver, especially because he couldn't keep his hands to himself. The story is told from the perspective of Nigel, who is now living in an institution. Scenes from his life there are mixed with memories and flashbacks to his time with Robbie. Bluemel filmed everything over the years: we watch as the men injure each other, jerk each other off, and piss each other off, but also how they take care of one another, cook for one another, and can't be without one another. This extreme fly-on-the wall-way technique produces a devastatingly intimate, sometimes claustrophobic, but always respectful glimpse into the life of this lost soul.