Local and international filmmakers both have made the Syrian conflict one of their most well-documented segments of living history. While Hollywood has given us a dramatic and stylised version of the issue — that led 22 million people have fled their homes. About 6.9million are internally displaced. — many other directors have been producing more nuanced movies giving us a glimpse into the daily life of the refugees. A recent addition to this list is director Sally El Hosaini’s The Swimmers.
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The story is about two sisters from Syria, who embark on dangerous journeys to flee Damascus for better opportunities in Europe. The film is based on Yusra, an Olympic-winning swimmer, and Sara Mardini her activist sister. It aims to bring attention back to the Syrian refugee crisis. They also emphasize the importance of locals. suffer and “die in displacement camps, while resources are becoming scarcer and donor fatigue is rising.”
While El Hosaini and the writer Jack Thorne’s heart is the right place, the two, unfortunately, reduce a heart-rending story to bullet points. The first half of the movie is focused on the sister’s journey to Europe, while the latter is focused on their lives there. Between these moments, the film shows the impact of the refugee crises. The story is hindered by the film’s excessively glamorous shots and simplifications of the issue through dialogues, music, and other visuals.
It’s finally over!
🎬The trailer that will be the first to feature this product is here #TheSwimmersa @NetflixFilm based on the extraordinary journey of UNHCR Goodwill ambassador @YusraMardiniSara, her sister. pic.twitter.com/vfQHDJMjVW
— UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency (@Refugees) September 1, 2022
In one scene, where they successfully take the sea route to Europe by boat, a scene taken in the early afternoon is immediately intercut with a scene showing the setting sun and refugees floating in the ocean. This is what you would expect in Hollywood. The need to please the public overrides the need to tell a tragic story using unconventional methods.
Instances where the sisters are subject to harassment (politics, sexism or bureaucracy) do not have the same lasting impact. These scenes are too fast-paced and don’t give enough detail to the sisters’ feelings.
This brings me to the next issue. The bond between them seemed forced. The role of Yusra or Sara was played by real sisters Nathalie and Manal, but the dynamic is not enough to do justice. Although there are moments where their personalities shine the most, these scenes are very rare and make me wonder if it was the right decision to cast real sisters for the role.
A real loss is the exploration of Sara’s and Yusra’s characters aside from their achievements. Sara is the younger sister and rebel of the family. However, the film never really shows how war affected her. We only see her wishing to leave Syria and she stays aloof until the very end.
Similarly, we don’t understand what drives Yusra, apart from making her father and the country proud. It’s not a joke to train for the Olympics. Additionally, the journey to an unfamiliar country can be stressful and full of tension. It is also helpful to have an older sister who is more independent and spontaneous. These problems would all lead to mental breakdown drown. Her character is however very one-dimensional in the movie.
The day is here. 🎬🍿
Yusra Martini: Refugee, swimmer, two-time Olympian and member of the Refugee Olympics Team.See Yusra and her story in the inspiring movie ‘The swimmers’. Watch it now! @YusraMardini
— Refugee Olympic Team (@RefugeesOlympic) November 23, 2022
It is important to note that the movie, despite its flaws and all the imperfections, manages to touch you on the overall. We tend to lose sight of the most important points, but the director always returns to the core point. The story is more than the protagonists. For example, you are made to realize by the other refugees and their sisters. It’s where the film manages to shine the most.
El Hosaini can be dependent on music in certain situations to make an impact. However, Sia is her favorite artist out of all the ones she has heard. I am unsure whether it is to portray the influence of western culture on Syrian children or whether she feels that Sia’s songs are inspirational, thus crossing cultural boundaries. Blaring music distracts and doesn’t add much to the narrative in either case.
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After a little over 2 hours, you realise that the film could have been approached differently, perhaps, by including instances that don’t seem to please the masses. Although the formula isn’t wrong, it makes it difficult to predict how the story will end. If the director had not focused so hard on making a movie that is enjoyable, she might have succeeded in what she wanted.
