'The Swimmers' star Manal Issa was 'devastated' by the film's 'Orientalist cliches'

Many moviegoers had high expectations for 'The Swimmers', Sally El-Hosaini's Netflix film about two Olympic swimmers and their harrowing experience of migrating from Syria to Germany. But the film received largely negative reviews after its premiere at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival.

IndieWire's Ryan Lattanzio wrote: "At nearly two and a half hours, Netflix's Syrian migrant drama 'The Swimmers' is a long session that requires extraordinary effort - from a treacly score to constant reminders that her protagonists are, you know, swimmers - to try and make you feel good, or at least feel whatever. The problem is that audiences aren't taken in by the same rah-rah spirit as the director Sally El-Hosaini sets out to achieve, in part through overheated use of Sia's pop anthems Who knew radio-friendly hits like "Titanium" and "Unstoppable" could serve as powerful theme songs for a drama about two Syrian sisters fleeing their war-bombed homeland for a better life in Europe?"

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Now one of the film's stars has joined his list of detractors. In a new interview with Middle East Eye, Manal Issa expressed his regrets for taking part in the project and criticized the film for its lack of racial nuance.

Issa, who plays one of the eponymous swimmers, says she almost turned down the role when it was first offered to her.

"It was no different from the similar refugee-themed projects I get every year," Issa said. "They spoke to my agent after I declined to audition for the film. I was still hesitant for several reasons: 1) it required extensive swimming lessons and 2) I felt uncomfortable that the role is not offered to a Syrian actor."

The French-Lebanese actress explained that she finally accepted the job because she was convinced that declining would not have led the producers to adopt a more progressive casting direction.

“Most of the finalists for the role were from the Maghreb and Egypt. I finally decided to go because I felt that I was the only actress in the group who was closest to Sara” , she said, "I would have given up the role in a heartbeat if a Syrian had been considered for the role, but that was not the case."

Issa said she remains disappointed with the film's turn, citing its heavily Western point of view and reliance on the English language.

"I was devastated by the overuse of English dialogue and how superficial and cheesy it is," she said. "It looked like one of those run-of-the-mill American films, filled with a lot of Orientalist clichés."

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