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The Swimmers (2022)

The Swimmers (2022)

PG-13

netflix

Equal parts sweet and searing, this weighty refugee drama is buoyed by tender moments of sisterhood and solidarity

The Very Best

8.0

Movie

Turkey, United Kingdom
Arabic, English
Drama, History
2022
FEMALE DIRECTOR, SALLY EL HOSAINI
Ahmed Malek, Alfredo Tavares, Ali Soliman
134 min

What it's about

From war-torn Syria to the 2016 Rio Olympics, two young sisters embark on a risky voyage, putting their hearts and their swimming skills to heroic use.

The take

The Swimmers tells the true story of sisters Yusra and Sara Mardini (played by fellow sisters Nathalie and Manal Issa), Syrian swimmers trained to compete at the Olympics. When their athletic goals and overall safety are threatened by the increasing presence of war, the girls decide to take a chance and migrate to Europe, where they hope to live out their dreams and reunite with their family someday.

The Swimmers is a touching family drama that does right to center on the love and tension between the siblings. Yusra and Sara’s relationship perfectly encapsulates the envy and resentment but also the deep love and loyalty that are present in every sister bond. It’s tender in these moments, but it can also be equally searing—as a refugee drama, it chillingly tracks the complicated and inhumane processes of fleeing one’s country for a safer future.

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