The Swimmers (English) – Film Review
The Syrian conflict in the recent past caused a grand exodus that we all know. Perhaps it wouldn’t have even ended yet, I’m afraid.
Amidst the bombing in 2015 as the fate of Syria was getting thinner into a clueless future, a girl Yusra and her sister move away from a close-knit family in Damascus hoping to participate in the 100m butterfly stroke swimming category at the Olympics in Rio De Genera.
The film takes us through the ordeals of people slipping away from a country until they reach Alemania (Germany) against all odds in the great escape. There wasn’t a thought for the audience about the sporting event till they reached there.
The tough expedition into the Mediterranean Sea, slipping away from the cross-border patrolling country after country through Turkey, Hungary, and Greece, and reaching Germany was a record to be made. This film has made it neatly.
For someone like me, the extremes of a refugee are just unfathomable and non-perceivable. This is given as an integral backdrop content for the aspirant, even as the ‘Team Refugee’ was introduced in the Olympic Games in Rio.
The word ‘Team’ means that there were many of them who perhaps didn’t win.
It was an amazing emergence from the jaws of death to the pedestal of victory for the girl Yusra who would be long known for her determination, hard work, and focus besides her incredible emotional resilience during the separation from the family and voyage to the unwelcoming lands all through.
Germany could host them wholeheartedly and that gives solace.
It is a different matter, that, now stories are emerging of the ruckus that the new community is creating in Europe, especially in England and Germany. Every day ‘now’ will be ‘tomorrow’s’ history.
We have seen much with the Srilankan Tamils spreading away like a pot of milk poured on the ground and now Syrians in this case. Rohingyas were booted out from Burma and Bangladesh. Many of them are now in Bangalore and Andamans calling themselves Bengalis.
International Refugee and Repatriation laws aren’t clear still and it occurs that the men in black in the UN are sitting in a smoky darkroom in a casino, cutting cards, and betting nations under the table.
It is conspicuous that our inland exodus of Biharis moving to the south is for a livelihood and it is a very happening thing right now.
The world somehow is becoming one monstrous family of people with differences.
May Sports, Music, and Fine Arts hold us tight with love and humanity forever.
A fine film. Must watch.
-Srirangam Ramesh