Laura is a vibrant young woman who dreams of a life outside of Australia. She puts enormous pressure on herself to excel at school to achieve her goal, while her overbearing teacher and father, Peter, is constantly underwhelmed by her academic performance.              

Riding her horse is the only distraction Laura allows in, until life throws her a curve ball in the form of Michael, the sweet, kind boy who works at his dad’s greengrocer. Michael is instantly smitten with Laura, and despite her instinct to stay on her path, Laura can’t help but be drawn in by him. Michael is up front about the fact that he wants to take care of her for the rest of their lives, which to him looks like staying in town and taking over his dad’s shop. Laura knows Michael could do so many more things with his life, like follow his passion for Australian Rules football. Despite their differing plans for life, the two fall deeper into each other, until another curve ball is thrown Laura’s way and an acceptance letter to a prestigious university in London sends her halfway across the world, leaving Michael behind.

Twenty years on, Laura’s life in London is exactly what she always dreamed. She’s got a charming husband, three beautiful sons and a career in investment banking where she thrives. Laura is up for a massive promotion at work, but her life at home is less rosy. Laura’s husband Jason is notoriously unreliable, leaving most of the parenting of their three children up to her and leaving her to explain Jason’s absence every time. While worrying about yet another absent moment at their son’s football game, Laura inexplicably faints.

Laura is rushed to hospital, and after extensive tests, she is given the news that she has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Laura knows the limits of the disease, as her mother suffered from MS, but is determined to continue fighting for her dreams, including one day landing the CEO position in her bank. Laura’s workplace isn’t quite as hopeful, paying Laura off and sending her into medical retirement.           

Jason does his best to support Laura, however, is fundamentally confronted by Laura’s illness and eventual mortality. One night, after a big drunken argument, Jason jumps in his car, careens out of control, and is killed as his car flips off the road, as Laura back home suffers from a major episode and collapses.                                                                                    

When Laura wakes in hospital, she finds her father Peter at her bedside, and is given the tragic news about Jason. With no job, no family left to tie her to London and her ever worsening condition, Laura decides it’s time to move back home to Australia.

It’s a rough adjustment for the family, with the boys grieving the loss of their father and struggling to settle into unfamiliar territory with the grandparents they barely know. Hope is once again sparked as Laura bumps into her childhood sweetheart, Michael. Laura learns Michael is divorced and in town for a couple of months while he is between Australian Football League clubs, having pursued his dream to be a scout for the AFL.   

The spark between Laura and Michael is as strong as ever, but things are far more complicated now. Laura is in significant pain a lot of the time, her sons are suspicious of anyone looking to replace their father, and Michael himself has a teenage daughter, Bella who is ferociously protective of her father.

However, this time, in spite of all the challenges, Michael gets to make good on his promise to look after her for the rest of their lives. With Michael’s help, Laura finds herself back in the saddle, bringing her back to her true passion of horse riding.

Inspired by real life events, Take My Hand is a romantic drama centered on hope, perseverance and above all, love.               

Take My Hand is a Bronte Pictures production, directed by John Raftopoulos and produced by Blake Northfield. The screenplay is by John Raftopoulos and Dave Paterson with Claire Jensz as executive producer, director of photography Wade Muller, production designer Esther Rosenberg, costume designer Tracey Rose Sparke and hair and make-up designer Billie Weston.