TIFF: "The Swimmers"

Saturday

Sep172022

Saturday, September 17, 2022 at 2:09PM

by Matt St Clair

In an early sequence from The Swimmers, we see both sisters Yusra and Sara Mardini jamming to “Titanium” by Sia. As they’re happily move on the dance floor in slow motion, the camera pans over to the escalating warfare happening in the background. That one scene is perfectly emblematic of the movie’s overall point of view. We watch these two real-life sisters persevere and maintained hope no matter the crises surrounding them...

WIth the help of their father Ezzat (Ali Suliman) who acted as their coach, Yusra and Sara (played by real-life siblings Nathalie and Manal Issa) had ambitions to become professional swimmers and represent Syria at the Olympics. But as the country was torn apart by civil war, the sisters were forced to sail their way across the Aegean Sea with other refugees and settle in Europe to build a new life for themselves, while avoiding detainment. As the film progresses, both sisters fall apart and come back together while their respective aspirations evolve.

Despite the harrowing real-life journey depicted, the screenplay by Jack Thorne and co-writer/director Sally El Hosaini injects buoyant moments of the sisters dancing and exchanging quips with their cousin Nizar (Ahmed Malek) who accompanies them on their journey. Moments like these try reflect how the sisters kept up their optimism while facing and at time frightening and uncertain future.

Sally El Hosaini’s direction makes sure the perilous voyage is infused with tension. One particular tense sequence involves the sisters on an overcrowded dinghy sailing across the Aegean Sea with a group of fellow refugees. As everyone scrambles to push their belongings off the dinghy to take some weight off it after the engine falters, both Yusra and Sara decide to swim their way to shore and pull the dinghy with them to save everyone. The unsteady camera work made watching that scene on a big screen a jarring experience.

Once The Swimmers crosses over from refugee drama to underdog sports picture in the third act, it does lose momentum; Whenever it feels like it’s about to conclude, it just keeps going. That swift genre transition might throw some viewers off. Nevertheless, The Swimmers makes an impact thanks to the harrowing obstacles and the persistent dreams of this uplifting dramatization. B

The Swimmers is screening in the Gala Presentations section at the Toronto International Film Festival. Netflix will release it on November 23rd.

Matt St.Clair | Sold Out Show |

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