The Swimmers

I initially thought this movie would be about swimming, but it turned out to be about two Syrian sisters fleeing to the West. The film mainly focuses on their escape—how they live in Syria, plan their escape, and journey through Turkey to the European Union. It highlights their encounters with both human predators and genuine helpers. The film is incredibly powerful and evocative in this respect. However, it made me wonder if all refugees coming to Europe are as noble as depicted here. I believe that's not always the case, and the film tends to portray everything in a very rosy light. Despite this, the sisters overcame their initial uncertainty and fear, adapted to their new life, and earned my utmost respect. Matthias Schweighöfer’s performance, though brief, captured all my feelings about these people and the wave of migration. (11/13/2023)