With Passover and Easter upon us, this time of year, we often think about the meaning of freedom, survival, and renewal. Directed by Sally El Hosaini from a screenplay that she co-wrote with Jack Thorne, The Swimmers is a 2022 biographical sports drama film dealing with similar themes. The plot follows the true life story of teenage Syrian refugees Yusra Mardini and her sister Sarah Mardini, who swam alongside a sinking dinghy of refugees to lighten it, and eventually help 18 refugees to reach safety across the Aegean Sea while being smuggled from İzmir towards Lesbos.
Subsequent struggles as refugees are vividly depicted, but Yusra Mardini's swimming career sees her reaching the Rio 2016 Olympics as a member of the Refugee Olympic Team. In the final credits, we learn that Sarah in 2016 returned to Lesbos as part of voluntary efforts to assist incoming refugees. She was arrested and faces charges carrying potentially long-term prison sentences, if convicted.
Yusra and Sarah are played by real-life sister Lebanese Actresses, Nathalie Issa & Manal Issa. The film also stars, Ahmed Malek, German Actor, Matthias Schweighöfer (playing The Swimming Coach), Ali Suliman, Kinda Alloush, James Krishna Floyd and Elmi Rashid Elmi.
November 11, 2022 it was in limited release in cinemas, then shown at the evening gala of the Marrakesh International Film Festival on November 18, 2022, before its streaming release by Netflix, on November 23, 2022.
As accredited media, I was at its world premiere red carpet Gala and Q & A at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2022 to conduct interviews and discuss the status of refugees, freedom, and the importance of pursuing your dreams.
Enjoy this episode with my compliments this Passover/Easter weekend!
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