Almost a century after she became the first woman to swim the English Channel, pioneering swimmer Mercedes Gleitze returns in new film Vindication Swim, releasing this International Women’s Day. Its writer/director Elliot Hasler tells us why the story is important to remember.Â
Released on Fri 8 Mar in celebration of International Women’s Day, new biopic Vindication Swim dives into the extraordinary life of Mercedes Gleitze, who in 1927 became the first British woman to swim the English Channel. While her name has been largely lost to history, Gleitze also became the first person to complete many other incredible swims around the world, including the Straits of Gibraltar, the Dardanelles, and the distance between Robben Island and Cape Town. Mercedes also made waves in Wales by completing an endurance swim at Barry Island in 1929.
The film depicts Mercedes’ upstream struggle in overcoming both the cold waters of the English Channel and the oppressive society of 1920s England. However, after a rival comes forward claiming to have accomplished the same feat, Mercedes is forced into battle to retain her record and her legacy. British-Irish actress Kirsten Callaghan, in her debut role as Mercedes Gleitze, trained for months in the English Channel before filming began. In October 2022, Vindication Swim became a finalist at the Cardiff International Film Festival.
The film not only chronicles the remarkable life of Mercedes Gleitze but, from a Wales-centric perspective, also offers a unique opportunity to witness never-before-seen footage of her historic Barry Island swim. Unearthed in the bottom of a wardrobe in Sussex, a roll of highly flammable nitrate film was found to contain unseen video footage of Mercedes preparing for her swim back in the late 20s. Remarkably, the film was able to be meticulously restored at a specialist restoration house in London (many restoration houses will not take nitrate film) and incorporated into Vindication Swim.
As we celebrate International Women’s Day, the film serves as a poignant reminder of the indomitable spirit of a woman who dared to dream beyond the confines of her era.
Vindication Swim is released in cinemas on Fri 8 Mar.
Info: vindicationswimfilm.com
words ELLIOT HASLER