How to Be Held
How to Be Held is a feature film that is in pre-production, currently casting with How to Be Held Production and Independent Film Company attached. Gillian Cooper (casting director), Christine Nyland (director) and Cailla O'Shea (producer) are attached. It is scheduled to shoot in New York, NY in September 2026. Production List last updated this listing on August 29, 2026.
Project Summary
How to Be Held follows Alexis, who is pushed to the edge of boredom by an endless string of meaningless hook-ups—and to her breaking point by the fallout from her sister's separation from an abusive partner. Alexis responds to an ad: one hundred dollars to cuddle with a stranger for one hour. What begins as a one-off experiment quickly grows into a secret second life, pushing at the edges of the world Alexis has built for herself—and threatening the person she thought she was. The film is comprised of an almost fully female filmmaking team with over 25 years of combined experience. Past projects have screened at festivals like SXSW, received distribution from companies like Independent Film Company, and the producer's last project, Recluse, premiered at Tribeca Festival. Filming in New York, NY.
Production Contacts— Members Only
The production office contacts for How to Be Held are on file at Production List, last updated August 29, 2026, and are available to members. Membership is $29.95 for the first month.
Cast & Crew
Production
| Producer | Gillian Cooper |
| Producer | Cailla O'Shea |
Directing
| Director | Christine Nyland |
Writing
| Writer | Christine Nyland |
Casting
| Casting Director | Gillian Cooper |
Contact details for each person listed are on file and available to members.
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Source: Production List, published by the Film & Television Industry Alliance. Cite this page as https://www.productionlist.com/production/how-to-be-held (last updated Aug 29, 2026).