THE SWIMMERS (15) Preview
Two sisters embark on a remarkable journey from war-torn Syria to the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in director Sally El Hosaini’s life-affirming drama based on a true story.
Written for the screen by El Hosaini and award-winning playwright Jack Thorne, The Swimmers centres on siblings Yusra (Nathalie Issa) and Sara Mardini (Manal Issa), who are determined to escape their war-torn nation.
They join more than a dozen refugees in a flimsy dinghy for a perilous journey across the Aegean Sea. The motor fails during the crossing and the crowded boat takes on water and threatens to sink. Yusra and Sara enter the water and swim bravely towards land with the boat and refugees tethered to them.
For three gruelling hours, the siblings battle the elements and physical exhaustion. This act of heroism sets in motion Yusra’s dream of swimming at the Rio games as part of the first IOC Refugee Olympic Team.
In cinemas Friday and on Netflix from November 23