Viola Barlow
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Nov 23, 2022 · While mostly focused on the young women’s journey, “The Swimmers” occasionally widens the scope of its emotional personal story to observe the wider humanitarian crisis facing migrants to this day.
Sep 8, 2022 · At nearly two and a half hours, Netflix’s Syrian migrant drama “The Swimmers” is a long sit that goes to extraordinary efforts — from a treacly score to constant reminders that its ...
- Ryan Lattanzio
Nov 23, 2022 · ‘The Swimmers’ Review: Overcoming the Greatest Challenges This film dramatizes the story of two real-life sisters from Syria and their ordeal fleeing to Europe. One eventually competed at the...
- Sally El Hosaini
Nov 17, 2022 · The Swimmers: the incredible true story behind the new Netflix film Yusra Mardini went from being a refugee to competing in the Olympics. This is the story of how she did it
- Vicky Jessop
- 2 min
- What Happens in The Swimmers?
- What Did Yusra and Sara’s Journey from Syria to Germany Really Look like?
- What Do Yusra and Sara Want People to Take Away from Their Life Story?
- Where Are The Mardini Sisters Now and What’s Next For them?
The film follows 17-year-old Yusra and 20-year-old Sara (played by Nathalie and Manal Issa, respectively) in their simple life in Daraya, Damascus, before it was disrupted by the escalation of Syria’s civil war. What began as peaceful, pro-democracy demonstrations against President Bashar al-Assad in 2011 escalated into a full-scale warwhen the gov...
It took Yusra and Sara 25 days to get from Syria to Germany, with the first portion of their trip taking place via flights then by boat to Greece. “Then it was by foot, we walked, used buses, taxis, whatever we could use,” says Yusra. Recalling the most taxing part of their journey, when they swam in the Aegean Sea for over three hours, Sara says s...
After witnessing people’s shock when she doesn’t fit their stereotype of a downtrodden refugee, Yusra wants to challenge the idea that refugee identity is a monolith. She also hopes the film counters the misconception that people flee their country because they want to enjoy the resources of their host nation: “It’s not a luxurious life, you have t...
Growing up, the Mardini sisters say they were so attached at the hip that they were more like twins, but now they are on different paths and even continents. Yusra returned to the Tokyo 2020 Olympicslast year; she qualified for team Syria but still chose to be on the refugee team, and she is currently studying film and television production in Cali...
- 2 min
- Armani Syed
Apr 8, 2023 · The 2022 film “The Swimmers,” now available on Netflix, is based on the real-life adventures of two young sisters, Sarah and Yusra Mardini, who fled the Syrian Civil War, becoming refugees in Germany. For many reasons, the film is enjoyable, uplifting, and thought-provoking.
Based on a true story, THE SWIMMERS follows the journey from war-torn Syria to the 2016 Rio Olympics. Two young sisters embark on a harrowing journey as refugees, putting both their hearts and ...
- (63)
- Drama, Biography, Sports
- PG-13
