DUBAI: It is reportedly estimated that 5.7 million Syrians have become refugees since war erupted in their country back in 2011. Fleeing the conflict, many attempted to cross the Mediterranean in unseaworthy boats, and if they were lucky, reached European shores.
Among the many asylum seekers who fled were Syrian sisters and swimmers Sara and Yusra Mardini, whose real-life story has been turned into a much-talked-about film, “The Swimmers,” currently streaming on Netflix.
Directed by Welsh Egyptian filmmaker Sally El-Hosaini, “The Swimmers” follows teenagers Sara and Yusra (portrayed by Manal and Nathalie Issa respectively), who are skilled swimmers, thanks to the professional training of their father and coach (Ali Suliman).
Sara is the cool, rebellious and tough sister, who does not believe she will achieve big things in life. Yusra is soft, sensitive, but disciplined with her eyes on the prize. She wants to compete at the Rio Olympics in 2016. “Swimming is where I belong,” she says in one scene.
Initially, their life in Damascus carries on, despite distant bombings, power cuts, and harassment from security officials. As the environment becomes increasingly dangerous, the Mardini family decides that Sara and Yusra should leave for Berlin with their DJ cousin, Nizar (Ahmed Malek), with the hope that the rest of the family would follow.
The journey is long, arduous and humiliating. They join other refugees, including children, departing from Turkey to the Greek island of Lesbos. They are packed onto a boat for the journey. But trouble arises where the engine dies in the midst of choppy waters.
With the boat sinking, the people begin throwing their possessions overboard. There is a heartbreaking moment when Yusra has to drop her medals into the water. Will she ever achieve her dream? The pivotal moment of the film happens with Sara and Yusra bravely jumping into the water and leading the boat and fellow passengers all the way to the island.
With a cast of new faces, the film is gripping, well-paced, and at times, quite intense. There are tearjerking moments of despair, as well as hope and kindness, found in the camaraderie of the refugees. Later they would receive similar help and support from Sven (Matthias Schweighofer), who trains Yusra for the Olympics at a swimming club in Berlin.
Visually, the film features several powerful and memorable shots, taken from above and below, that emphasize the magnitude of the conditions which the sisters had to overcome.
If there is a film to watch before the year ends, “The Swimmers” is it. It is a reminder of the determination of the human spirit, and that sometimes in life, with its twists and turns, achieving things may eventually occur, but in a way one could never imagine.
