‘The Swimmers’ Review
Just last week, the tragic capsizing of a refugee boat in the English Channel resulted in the loss of four lives. Despite the harsh, freezing conditions, over 500 asylum seekers have braved these treacherous waters since Sunday. Traffickers, capitalising on the calm seas and low winds, are facilitating these dangerous crossings, as reported by Al Jazeera.
Simultaneously, Netflix introduces audiences to 'The Swimmers', a poignant tale of Yusra and Sara Mardini. The sisters, prior to the Syrian conflict, were competitive swimmers, trained by their father, a professional in the sport. Yusra aspired to represent Syria in the Olympics, specialising in Freestyle and Butterfly.
The film vividly depicts the sisters' initial reluctance to abandon Syria, their homeland that was once filled with joy, even amidst the looming war. However, when rebels ambush the sisters bus and the threat of death is put before them, they are forced to consider the dangerous journey to Berlin.
The sisters, unfamiliar with the risks, opt to make their journey via the Aegean Sea, despite their parents' reservations. In their journey, they join other desperate souls from regions like Eritrea, Somalia, and Iran. Part of the film highlights the danger they and other asylum seekers encounter when they put their safety and money into the hands of a trafficker, leading to them travel in a dilapidated dinghy, that barely holds together. As the vessel begins sinking midway, the passengers start to panic. Men on the dinghy jump into the water to swim and make the dingy lighter, but it isn’t enough. And so Yusra, seeing the mothers and children on the boat, jumps in to swim too.
Yusra and Sara swim tirelessly for three hours, finally reaching the Greek coast.
After arriving on the Greek coast and finding humanitarian aid, they travel onwards through the Balkans mostly on foot, eventually finding themselves in Berlin. Here, amidst the bureaucratic maze of asylum procedures, Yusra's passion for swimming resurfaces. Despite initial hesitancy from a local coach, she sees a unique opportunity: the Olympic Refugee Team. The film captures her triumphant Olympic journey, interspersed with haunting memories of those she met along the way, and those who tragically couldn't complete their journeys.
The movie underscores a pressing narrative in the current UK political climate. While many in the UK often perceive refugees and asylum seekers through a lens of suspicion, these stories unveil their realities: they're driven by desperation, holding onto hopes, dreams, and innate talents, striving for safety and dignity.