-: Swimmer

Production company Revolver Films has unveiled their latest short film, ‘Swimmer’, with commercial and film director Duane Crichton. The 10 minute short film tells the story of a young swimmer, who is struggling to cope with the loss of her best friend and teammate. The film touches upon universal themes of friendship, societal expectations, loss and grief. A collaboration between writer Kimberley Gillis and Revolver Films’ director Duane Crichton, the cinematic film explores the metaphysical idea that our true being is separate from our bodies. The film was based on the writer’s personal experiences of growing up in a small town and from there, the script was developed into an ode to female friendship and loss. The film follows the life of teenager and talented swimmer Kai, who is feeling the pressures of navigating teenagedom without her best friend Ash, who recently passed away but is still very much alive in Kai’s mind. Self-destructive and angered by her pain, Kai is up against the pressures of regionals and competing for a swimming scholarship, but is encouraged by Ash to keep training and not let grief overcome her. It is only in the end scene when Kai wins her race and looks to celebrate with Ash, that she has the stark realisation that her best friend has left her subconscious, for good. Keen to portray a highly naturalistic female friendship, Duane enhances the pair's closeness through honest and representational dialogue. Young actors Talia Jodouin (Kai) and Jamaica Fraser (Ash), whose natural chemistry is evident on screen, were encouraged to tap into their own personal experiences in order to find a parallel truth to the story of Kai and Ash. Framing was key in establishing the ‘otherworldly’ central hook of the short film, as well as visualising Kai’s loneliness without her best friend around. The director used a wider frame when shooting Kai and a tighter framing for Ash to clearly show that she only exists in Kai’s world. A pivotal moment of loss in the film, the only time audiences see Kai in Ash’s framing is the moment she realises that her friend is truly gone. Cutting between Kai and Ash, who perform in essentially the same spot throughout, director Duane, DP John Kerr and editor Ross Birchall worked closely to depict Ash inside Kai’s mind, whilst striking a visual balance of drama and naturalism. Largely inspired by the tone and execution of French historical romantic drama, ‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire’ by Celine Sciamma as well as the visual duality of Darren Aronofsky’s ‘Black Swan’, ‘Swimmer' is a modern example of emotional short-form storytelling. The film will premiere at the Toronto Short Film Festival on the 15th December 2022 and will be screened at the New York Shorts festival in early 2023.