Swim Club

In 2022, Diverse City, in collaboration with The Mowlem Theatre in Swanage, presented ‘SW!M’, a live event inspired by the open conversations had between women who went wild swimming in Swanage Bay, Poole. Swim Club is an uplifting short film that zooms in on the participants, all women between 50 and 70, as they prepare for, for many of them, their first-ever performance in front of an audience. Acclaimed documentarian Steven Lake examines the cheerful bravery of these women as they make themselves vulnerable to the audience, the elements, and each other.

 

This band of women have built a joyous and community-led relationship with nature, started in the first lockdown by swimming in the sea every day. We see them out in the sea in the dead of winter and as the seasons change they band together to create a synchronised swim for the town. The film shows the chaos and love that goes into this preparation and the performance itself. An intimate portrayal of a group’s relationship with nature and the importance of being able to connect with nature in a safe and free way.

 

Take a dip in some very cold water with the Swim Club below (with captions and BSL interpretation). An audio described version is also available.