Source- Netflix
The Swimmers movie is a biographical drama directed by Sally El Hosaini. She was also the screenwriter of the movie and co-wrote with Jack Thorne. The story is based on the life and struggle of Olympic swimmer Yusra Mardini. The film starred real-life sisters Manal Issa and Nathalie Issa. The movie was released on Netflix on 23rd November 2022.
Synopsis (Non-Spoiler Alert)
The Swimmers is a biographical drama based on an Olympic swimmer named Yusra Mardini. She was born in Syria but due to the civil war that started in Syria, she escapes from Syria and illegally cross the borders from Turkey to enter Europe.
On the journey, she was with her sister Sara Mardini and her cousin's brother. She wanted to reach Germany as the German government was giving shelter and recognition to the refugees. After reaching Germany she started her swimming training and qualifies for the Rio Olympics under the flag of Refugees.
Introduction
Movie’s Name: The Swimmers
Director’s Name: Sally El Hosaini
Genre: Biographical Drama
Based on: Real life
Language: English, Hindi
Platform: Netflix
About the Director
Sally El Hosaini is a Welsh-Egyptian film director and screenwriter. She is famous for her debut feature film “My Brother the Devil”. The film won multiple international awards and recognitions. El Hosaini was born in Swansea, Wales to Egyptian-Welsh parents.
She was raised in Cairo, Egypt. She started her writing at a very young age. She published her first story at the age of seven years. She completed her school education at Atlantic College, Wales. Before starting her film career, she worked for an NGO in Yemen. She was working as an English teacher in Sana’a, Yemen.
She began her film career working on middle east documentaries but later she moved to independent feature films. She was the editor of an award-winning mini-series named “House of Saddam”. In 2012 her first feature film as director and screenwriter “My Brother the Devil” won multiple awards. The film screened at over 40 international film fairs and received 12 awards, 17 nominations, and an honourable mention.
As writer and director, El Hosaini won the writer’s guide of Great Britain and the Promising newcomer award at the evening standard film awards. Now her last release film The Swimmer is gaining attention all over the world.
About the Lead Cast
As the movie is based on the story of two real sisters Sara and Yusra Mardini, similarly cast is also sisters in real life Manal and Nathalie Issa. Issa sisters are French-born Lebanese descendants. Manal Issa is famous for her film “Fear of Nothing” in French titled “Peur de Rien”. The film was released in 2015 a French comedy-drama directed by Danielle Arbid. Her younger sister Nathalie Issa started her career with a short film named “Unforgettable memory of a Friend”. She gains popularity with the film The Swimmers only.
About the Movie
The movie starts with the happy life of Yusra and Sara Mardini. Her father was a professional swimmer but he has to leave swimming as a career when he joined the Syrian army. He had a dream to send her daughter to Olympics as a swimmer So He was training her daughters as professional swimmers.
But in 2011 Syrian civil war started and it reached Damascus. The situation was very bad, it is very hard to get swimming training. When the situation worsens in Damascus, they plan to leave Syria.
The two elder sisters with a cousin’s brother leave Syria and reach Istanbul, Turkey. From there they have to cross the sea to reach Greece and then illegally cross five borders to reach Germany. She wanted to reach Germany because the German government was giving shelter and legal status to the refugees. After many struggles she reached Germany then she started training again in Germany. Later she qualifies for the Rio Olympics in 2016 under the banner of Refugees.
The Bottom Line
The Swimmers is an inspirational movie that shows how a teenage girl away from home as a refugee without the help of any close relative reaches her biggest dream to qualify for the Olympics. She did this because of her determination.
If you are aware of El Hosaini's work then The Swimmers is according to her personality. I also feel that this movie tells us about life in general. How life changes from the happiness of Damascus to a refugee camp. If you want to take a single lesson from this movie then that is how determination takes you through every struggle of life and reaches you to your dream.
My ratings for the Movie: 4.5 out of 5
You can watch it on Netflix
Written by Sarfaraz Equbal
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