Netflix has a knack for expanding its library in every genre, especially real-life inspiring stories, which have stacked up inside this world's largest streaming service. The Swimmers is an upcoming Netflix film based on the true story of swimming sisters Yusra and Sarah Mardini, who fled from war-torn Syria to compete in the 2016 Rio Olympics. Co-written and directed by Sally El Hosaini (winner of a BAFTA award), credited for films on My Brother the Devil, Babylon, and The Fifth Bowl, the film was announced in April 2021.
The film was shot in a variety of locations, including Belgium, the United Kingdom, and Turkey. It premiered at the 2022 Toronto Film Festival and garnered a 78% rotten tomatoes review score, and according to critics, it is an impactful journey with solid performances and an unexpected ending. So, here's everything we know about The Swimmers, an aspiring Netflix biography/film.
The True Story Behind The Swimmers
In 2015, Syria was engulfed in a civil war, claiming hundreds of souls and forcing many others to flee for their lives. Unfortunately, Yusra and Sarah Mardini, who grew up in Damascus' suburbs, found themselves in the same situation. They boarded the overcrowded boat to Greece, but it broke down in the middle of the Aegean Sea, forcing the sisters and two others to swim alongside the boat until they arrived at Lesbos.
They eventually settled in Berlin with their parents, who had also fled Syria. Sarah suffered an unforeseen shoulder injury during the incident and was forced to give up her swimming career. Yusra continued the sisters' ambition after competing in the 2016 Rio Olympics by winning a 100m butterfly heat race against four other swimmers under the banner of the IOC Refugee team. The Swimmers is the story of two sisters who battled their way from a war-torn country to a new home while clinging to the little hope they have left, and Netflix is preparing to visually present it to audiences.
The Swimmers: Cast & Crew
The cast representing the real-life characters of the biography includes Manal Issa as Sarah Mardini, Nathalie Issa as Yusra Mardini, Ali Suliman as Ezzat Mardini, Kinda Alloush as Mervat Mardini, Ahmed Malek as Nizar, James Krishna Floyd as Emad, Matthias Schweighofer as Sven, Roderick Hill as Viktor, Alfredo Tavares as Olympic Coach, Nahel Tzegai as Shada, Elmi Rashid Elmi as Bilal, and Isobel Eadie as Swimmer 1 Rio alongside other competitors to Yusra.
Although these are the visible cast members we've seen in the trailer, there are a few unnamed roles as refugees played by Ekran Mustafa, Daniel Eghan, Christian Di Sciullo, and others.
As previously stated, the film is directed and co-written by Sally El Hosaini, and Jack Throne also shared writing credits alongside her. Steven Prince, an Academy and Emmy Award recipient for Gravity, is composing the music for the movie. Christopher Ross, known for his work on Blackout, Room, and Black Sea, oversaw the cinematography. As the casting director, Shaheen Baig deserves appreciation for choosing the Issa sisters to portray Yusra and Sarah. In any case, the film's crew appears to be rather remarkable. Hopefully, they will convey the message of this biography in such a way that it will live on in the hearts of the audiences.
Release Date
Netflix officially announced that The Swimmers, based on an inspiring real-life story, will premiere globally on November 23, 2022.
Everything Else We Know
Although biographies are not intended to be humorous, they can move viewers to tears with inspiring and emotional sequences. From the remarks of critics and the perspectives of filmmaker Sally El Hosaini and TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey, the film appears to be highly motivating.
Sally commented upon the film's selection at TIFF:
"I'm ecstatic. What an honor and privilege to open TIFF with the inspirational true-life story of the Mardini sisters. A city as multicultural and diverse as Toronto is the perfect place to debut our film that elevates the visibility and voice of refugees, reminding us that the human capacity to survive is stronger than most of us know."
Cameron Bailey, TIFF's CEO, shared his thoughts after the premiere:
"I was deeply moved by the story of these two sisters and wowed by the storytelling. The Swimmers was the very best kind of surprise when we saw it this summer — an exciting, epic journey and the arrival of an important filmmaker. I'm thrilled that audiences in Toronto will be the first to discover Sally El Hosaini's remarkable film, and that this year on our Opening Night we can honor everyone who risks everything to reach a better, safer life."
The Swimmers is not your typical motivational story but rather a tragic adventure of two sisters. It highlights the difficult position of Syrian survivors, as well as the dream of two young girls, one of whom was unable to fulfill due to their dreadful fate. While you wait for this aspiring biography, check out these best sports documentaries on Netflix!