Netflix has dropped the first trailer for the inspiring movie The Swimmers, which is based on the true story of two young sisters, Yusra and Sara Mardini, who flee their war-torn home country of Syria with the hopes of competing in the Rio Olympics.
The story follows the girls’ lives from them growing up in Damascus, fleeing their home as localised danger grows, boarding a tiny boat along with other refugees which eventually breaks down causing them to throw away their belongings and use their champion swimming skills to swim to safety, and finally arriving in Berlin to seek asylum.
Now safe, Yusra begins swimming training as Sara suffers a shoulder injury meaning she can no longer follow her dream to compete. The sisters then find out about the refugee team and Sara pleads with Yusra to take part in the Rio Olympics as she can’t, but will her sister go for gold after their harrowing journey out of Syria?
The Swimmers stars Nathalie Issa as Yusra and Manal Issa as Sara, along with Matthias Schweighöfer (Sven), Ahmed Malek (Nizar), James Krishna Floyd (Emad), Nahel Tzegai (Shada) and Kinda Alloush (Mervat) with Ali Suliman (Ezzat).
This incredible film is directed by Sally El Hosanini. The talented team of producers include Tim Beavn, Eric Fellner, Tim Cole and Ali Jaafar. It was written by the wonderful Jack Throne and Sally El Hosaini.
Sally, the director and co-writer revealed, “War turns everything on its head. The patriarchal, cultural and religious structures that preserve society are shaken. Ironically, if it hadn't been for the Syrian war, Yusra and Sara would not have been allowed to go on such a life changing journey”.
“To have had the freedom to take their lives fully in their own hands and to have become the heroes they are. The film is very much about two inspirational heroes. The obvious, celebrated one in Yusra, but also the unsung hero in Sara”.
The Swimmers will be coming to Netflix on November 23, until then, watch the moving trailer below:
