Drama by Sally El Hossain swimmersThe true story of Syrian refugee-turned-Olympic athletes, the Mardin sisters, will open the 18th Zurich International Film Festival.
The Swimmers, which will have its world premiere in Toronto, will make its European premiere in Zurich on September 22. Sally El Hossain will attend the premiere in Zurich with the film’s stars Natalie Issa and Matthias Schwiegefer and sisters Sara and Yusra Mardin.
Produced by Working Title for Netflix, El Hossain’s film follows the Mardinelle sisters’ journey after they fled the Syrian civil war in 2015 and attempted to escape across the Aegean Sea to Europe. When the engine of the boat they were traveling on blew out, the sisters, both champion swimmers, helped to rescue the other passengers. They settled in Germany, where Yusra returned to training. He competed in the 2016 Olympics as part of the Refugee Olympic Team.
“The Swimmers is a deeply moving and timely film about a miraculous journey,” says Christian Jungen, Artistic Director. “That Shim was Maleki, James Krishna Floyd, Elmi Rashid Elmi, Kinda Alush and Ali Suliman. Directed and written by Sally El Hossain and co-written by award-winning screenwriter and playwright Jack Thorne. Produced by Working Title’s Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner, Ali Jafar and Tim Cole, executive produced by Stephen Daldry. The film debuts on Netflix later this year.
The European premiere will take place on Thursday, September 22 at the 1,200-seat convention center, with additional public screenings at Cinema Corso. The full schedule of the 18th Zurich Film Festival will be posted on the website on Thursday, September 8, starting at 12:00 local time. Tickets will go on sale on Monday, September 12 at 12:00 pm local time.
Source: Hollywood Reporter
Benjamin Smith is a fashion journalist and author at Gossipify, known for his coverage of the latest fashion trends and industry insights. He writes about clothing, shoes, accessories, and runway shows, providing in-depth analysis and unique perspectives. He’s respected for his ability to spot emerging designers and trends, and for providing practical fashion advice to readers.
