
European Premiere
The Swimmers
by Sally El Hosaini
Country / Year
United Kingdom / 2022
Duration
134 Min.
Languages
Arabic
Subtitles
Genre
Tags
Direction
Sally El Hosaini
Cast
Nathalie Issa,
Manal Issa,
Matthias Schweighöfer,
Ahmed Malek,
James Krishna Floyd,
Nahel Tzegai,
Akuc Bol,
Elmi Rashid Elmin,
Ali Zayn,
Kinda Alloush,
Ali Suliman
The Syrian sisters Yusra and Sarah are talented swimmers. But when their home is destroyed in the war, the young athletes are forced to flee their homeland in 2015. They make the dangerous crossing to Europe in a refugee boat. When the engine fails on the open sea, they use ropes to pull the boat behind them for hours, saving numerous lives. Arriving in Germany after their odyssey, Yusra and Sarah attract attention with their heroic deed. Their biggest dream is to participate in the Olympic Games in Rio. Director Sally El Hosaini films the true story of the Mardini sisters, who are still involved in refugee aid today. The actors Manal Issa, Nathalie Issa and Matthias Schweighöfer deliver epic emotional cinema.