Disclaimer: this is the most biased movie “review” you will ever read.
Honestly, I do watch a lot of movies. From Marvel movies to historical dramas, I am quite eclectic in the genres I pick. However, only a few of these do actually resonate with me – The Swimmers is one of them. Now, the only valid excuse for not watching it is “I don’t have Netflix” – so if you genuinely have avoided this beautiful movie, I would suggest curling up on the sofa and switching on the TV right now…before you read this article. Maybe writing this was an excuse for me to watch the movie for the 3rd time, but it is truly one of its kind.
The Swimmers is based on a true story, but unlike many other movies, its accuracy is significantly close to the actual experiences of the Syrian swimmers and refugees – Yusra and Sara Mardini. The sisters were both involved in the production of this movie, which is undoubtedly why the actresses playing them were able to step into the roles so meaningfully whilst giving the movie sentiment in a way that is really quite rare (I don’t often cry in movies, but I admit this one caught me out).
For me, this is what made it stand out so much – it openly exposes us to what living in fear feels like without sugar-coating it. With current debates about immigration policies and Europe’s ongoing “refugee crisis”, The Swimmers is a must-watch to understand what millions of people undergo every single day. We barely touch the surface of these real-life struggles at school, hence why The Swimmers has reported nothing but positive press and reviews – it is honest and realistic which is what we need in order for us to open our eyes to this global and very current topic. The movie explores countless different perspectives; from the emotional toll on the Mardini family to the heroic dispositions shown by the German Coach, Sven. Not only this, but the movie’s inspirational message about following your dreams is unmatched. Yusra, despite experiencing traumatic events, fulfilled her goal of swimming in the 2016 Rio Olympics (as part of the Refugee Olympic Athletes Team). Sara stood by her sister and proved to be Yusra’s rock throughout their journey; and The Swimmers depicts this superbly through Sara’s humour and unconditional love.
We have all surely read or heard about the tragic devastations that Syria has suffered since the outbreak of war in 2011. We also have an idea about conflicts around the world, and how these have unleashed an international fight for providing urgent humanitarian aid. But what isn’t highlighted as much, are the every-day struggles of citizens in war-zone countries. A very powerful scene at the beginning of the movie shows Yusra and Sara partying with friends on a rooftop to Sia’s Titanium, when bombs are falling in the distance – a daily landscape for them. This was when I acknowledged the amount of resilience every single citizen in a conflict-prone country has: they live their life like usual and make the most of what they are given. Yusra and Sara’s swim training didn’t stop either. It only came to a halt when it had no other option, when a bomb destroyed their facility.
One of the most inspiring moments of the movie is when the two sisters are walking home, and they see graffiti that quotes “Your planes can’t bomb our dreams”. And I think this phrase summarises the whole movie so well, as we see later on. So, to focus on the journey shown in the movie, the perils involved in undertaking a long journey aren’t obvious when we think about a refugee’s circumstance. The Swimmers explicitly reveals the sexual harassment that the refugees were subject to, as well as the number of times they were taken advantage of by smugglers. Exploitation, fear and isolation are all emphasised with the different modes of transport taken just to cross one border to eventually carry on to their safe destination: Germany. Being placed on a dangerous, sinking boat with no direction, the sprinting across borders whilst trying not to be seen and the tedious asylum process are only a few examples of what The Swimmers shows. Before watching this movie, I didn’t really comprehend just how difficult policymakers have it when creating immigration policies. Neither did I realise how refugees feel during the whole process: from being separated from everything you have ever known, to entering a country of which you know nothing about. However, what was really warming to see is that the social network between refugees can be so strengthening and motivating. The refugees they met on during their boat trip from Syria to Greece were from a vast range of places: Afghanistan, Somalia and Eritrea, to name a few. Yusra and Sara’s overjoyed faces when they found these friends that they were separated from, despite knowing them for barely any time, truly showed how these connections can often be the strongest. Being vulnerable really can bring you unimaginably close; they were all in the same boat (quite literally).
My favourite scenes are of course the swimming ones (even though Yusra’s stroke is butterfly), but I am of course biased. However, these are the moments that made the movie even more impactful. The link between Yusra’s unfortunate circumstances to her swimming dream could not have been better expressed. Not only does The Swimmers prove why swimming is the best sport, saving both sisters as well as the other 20 people, but it is what drives Yusra’s strenuous journey when she felt like giving up. The sisters’ passion for swimming has a wider message to it. It signifies just how much refugees are forced to leave behind, and how the repercussions of fleeing a country can shatter your ambitions. Yet, in this case, the true story of Yusra demonstrated how her perseverance didn’t allow her to give up on her life-long ambition. Through her self-motivation and the kind, generous people who helped her on the way, she genuinely earnt her position on the Rio 2016 Refugee Team.
I could write about this movie for pages and pages, but I want to end on Sara and the one simple line she said just before Yusra’s Race at the Olympics. In my opinion, it brilliantly brought the whole significance of the movie to a close: “For everyone who died trying to find a new life. Swim for them”.
