Certification. 15
Running Time. 2 hours 14 mins
Director. Sally El Hosaini
Cast. James Krishna Floyd, Manal Issa, Nathalie Issa, Ahmed Malek, Matthias Schweighöfer, Nahel Tzegai.
A decade after her universally acclaimed debut feature, My Brother The Devil, Sally El Hosaini returns to the big screen with The Swimmers. The film recounts the incredible true story of two sisters, Sarah and Yusra Mardini (played by real-life sisters, Manal and Nathalie Issa, respectively), who flee Syria in the midst of the Syrian Civil War. The sisters' natural chemistry affords an element of authenticity to the inevitable moments of irritation and genuine tenderness between the siblings.
The Swimmers is at its best when El Hosain concentrates on the sisters' perilous journey out of Syria. The incredibly dramatic crossing of the Aegean Sea is a harrowing experience and perhaps the most affecting section of the film.
But in truth, El Hosaini and cinematographer, Christopher Ross produce strong visuals throughout. Early in the film, as the girls and their friends party on a rooftop in Damascus, missiles fired towards the city of Homs streak across the night sky in the background. And when the missiles do start to land a little closer to home, one crashes into the swimming pool where Yusra is competing which results in a momentary confrontation with the projectile that seems to last for eternity. But almost certainly, the most haunting moment in the film comes after the Mardinis and their fellow refugees have reached the shores of Lesbos only to see the life jackets of others littering the coastline as far as the eye can see.
Whilst The Swimmers contains a number of these arresting moments, the film has issues with pacing. Since The Swimmers's narrative peaks early, there is little El Hosaini can do in the second half of the film to match the astonishment of watching two teenage girls save a boatful of refugees. My patience had waned by the time the focus finally shifted to the Olympic Games. At 134 minutes run time, The Swimmers is a film that feels its length, especially in the second half, where it rather clumsily slips into uplifting sports drama territory.
The Swimmers may be a film that celebrates a unique and inspiring achievement, but it is at its most powerful when reminding us of the countless others who have made, and continue to make, this perilous journey to escape oppression, war and abuse.
Comments
Post a Comment