Vindication Swim: Pioneering Swimmer, Mercedes Gleitze, Returns To Newcastle with New Film Almost a Century after Incredible Endurance Swim

Vindication Swim is coming to Tyneside Cinema Newcastle on the 18th of March for an exclusive Q&A screening, following its nationwide release on the 8th of March in celebration of International Women’s Day. The post-screening Q&A will feature award-winning writer/director Elliott Hasler alongside lead actors Kirsten Callaghan and John Locke (Poor Things, Darkest Hour, The Favourite).

Vindication Swim dives into the extraordinary life of Mercedes Gleitze, who in 1927 became the first British woman to swim the English Channel. 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.

Aside from the Channel, Mercedes also became the first person to complete many of other incredible swims around the world, including the Straits of Gibraltar, the Dardanelles and distance between Robben Island and Cape Town. Mercedes also made waves in Newcastle itself, where in October 1930, she completed a mammoth 41.5 hour endurance swim at the iconic Northumberland Baths, witnessed by nearly 5,000 spectators. The inclusion of Newcastle within the legacy of Mercedes Gleitze adds a local touch to this global narrative, celebrating the resilience and spirit of a woman who dared to challenge the status quo.

To book tickets for the Tyneside Cinema screening and Q&A visit: https://tynesidecinema.co.uk/event/vindication-swim/

Image: Vindication Swim, Kirsten Callaghan as Mercedes Gleitze