A Swim Lesson
{{Short description|2024 American short documentary film}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox film
| name = A Swim Lesson
| image = A Swim Lesson film poster.jpg
| caption = Official poster
| director = {{Plainlist|
| screenplay =
| producer = {{Plainlist|
- Nicole Emanuele
- Emily Arlook}}
| starring = {{Plainlist|
- William Marsh
}}
| cinematography = {{Plainlist|
- Alexander Alexandrov}}
| editing = {{Plainlist|
- Mo Stoebe}}
| music =
| studio = {{Plainlist|
- Le Train Train
- L.A. Times Studios
- POV Shorts}}
| distributor =
| released = {{Film date|2024|9|1|Telluride}}
| runtime = 21 minutes
| country = {{Plainlist|
- United States}}
| language = English
| budget =
| gross =
}}
A Swim Lesson is a 2024 American short documentary film directed by Rashida Jones and Will McCormack. The film documents the career of William Marsh, a swim instructor from Los Angeles with decades of experience teaching children how to swim. It had its world premiere on September 1, 2024, at the 51st Telluride Film Festival in Main Program Short Films.{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2024/film/awards/telluride-festival-lineup-2024-saoirse-ronan-1236118451/|last=Davis |first=Clayton |title=Telluride Festival Lineup Includes ‘Nickel Boys,’ ‘The Piano Lesson’ and ‘Saturday Night’ With Tributes for Jacques Audiard and Saoirse Ronan |date=August 29, 2024 |access-date=January 13, 2025 |website=Variety |language=en-US}} It was available for streaming live on November 26 on POV Shorts and L.A. Times Studios.{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/a-swim-lesson-pov-shorts-season-7-lineup-1236167286/ |title= Rashida Jones and Will McCormack’s Short Doc ‘A Swim Lesson’ Part of ‘POV Shorts’ Season 7 Lineup (EXCLUSIVE) |author= Addie Morfoot |work= Variety|date= October 8, 2024 |access-date= January 13, 2025 |language=en}}
In December 2024, it was shortlisted for the Best Documentary Short Film at the 97th Academy Awards.{{Cite web|url=https://press.oscars.org/news/97th-oscarsr-shortlists-10-award-categories-announced |title= 97th Oscars Shortlists in 10 Award Categories Announced |date=December 17, 2024|access-date= January 13, 2025 |website= Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences |language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/oscars-shortlists-full-list-movies-contenders-1236088489/ |title= Academy Unveils Shortlists in 10 Oscar Categories |author= Kimberly Nordyke, Beatrice Verhoeven |website= The Hollywood Reporter |date= December 17, 2024 |access-date= January 13, 2025|language=en}}
Summary
The film is "an ode to an everyday hero: Bill Marsh, a swim teacher who helps children manage their fears and discover their own power when submerged in an overwhelming unknown".
Release
A Swim Lesson had its world premiere in Main Program, Short Films at the 51st Telluride Film Festival on September 1, 2024.{{Cite web|url=https://www.telluridefilmfestival.org/news |title= 51st Telluride Film Festival Announces Lineup |date=August 29, 2024|access-date= January 13, 2025 |website= Telluride Film Festival |language=en}}{{Cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2024/08/telluride-film-festival-2024-lineup-1236071936/ |last=Hammond |first=Pete |title=Telluride Film Festival Lineup Includes ‘Saturday Night’, ‘The Piano Lesson’, ‘Conclave’ & ‘Nickel Boys’ World Premieres|date=August 29, 2024 |access-date=January 13, 2025 |website= Deadline |language=en}} On September 22, 2024, it was screened at 25th Calgary International Film Festival{{Cite web|url=https://ciff2024.eventive.org/films/a-swim-lesson-66b6c2693d2f890081ff6d48 |title= A Swim Lesson|first= Alfonso|last= Rivera |date=September 18, 2024|access-date=January 13, 2025 |website= Calgary International Film Festival |language=en}}
It had its East Coast Premiere at the 32nd Hamptons International Film Festival on October 5, 2024.{{Cite web|url=https://awardsradar.com/2024/09/12/full-lineup-announced-for-the-2024-hamptons-international-festival/ |title= Full Lineup Announced for the 2024 Hamptons International Festival |date=September 12, 2024|access-date= January 13, 2025 |website= Awards Radar |language=en}} It was also presented in the Oscar qualifying program in 'Fear Eats the Soul' section of the Bend Film Festival on October 11,{{Cite web|url=https://bendfilm.org/news/2024-bend-film-festival-oscar-qualifying-short-film-programs-announced/ |title= 2024 Bend Film Festival: Oscar-Qualifying Short Film Programs Announced! |date=October 11, 2024|access-date=January 13, 2025 |website= Bend Film Festival |language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://bendfilmfestival2024.eventive.org/films/669acb8f8c502c002c2f5bd3 |title= 2024 Bend Film Festival: A Swim Lesson |date=October 11, 2024|access-date=January 24, 2025 |website= Bend Film Festival |language=en}} and on October 19 in the 33rd Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival in Hot Springs, Arkansas.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2024/09/hot-springs-documentary-film-festival-2024-lineup-announcement-1236096509/ |title=Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival To Premiere ‘American Coup: Wilmington 1898,’ Honor Director Steve James, Showcase James Carville, Adam Kinzinger, Luther Vandross Film|first= Matthew |last=Carey|date=September 23, 2024|access-date=January 13, 2025 |website= Deadline |language=en}}
The film was showcased at the Doc NYC on November 15, 2024, in the Shorts Human Spirit programme.{{Cite web|url=https://www.docnyc.net/film/short-list-shorts-human-spirit/ |title= Human Spirit |date=November 15, 2024|access-date= January 13, 2025 |website= Doc NYC |language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.docnyc.net/film/short-list-shorts-human-spirit/a-swim-lesson/ |title= A Swim Lesson|date=November 15, 2024|access-date= January 13, 2025 |website= Doc NYC |language=en}}
The film had its broadcast premiere on POV on PBS on November 26, streaming via the web and the PBSApp. It was streamed on Documentary+ from December 27, 2024.{{Cite web|url=https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/a-swim-lesson-short-film-ode-to-life-in-the-water-gets-fall-2024-release/ |title= ‘A Swim Lesson,’ Short Film Ode to Life in the Water, Gets Fall 2024 Release |first= Mathew |last= De George |date=October 11, 2024|access-date=January 13, 2025 |website= Swimming World |language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/pov/films/swimlesson/ |title= A Swim Lesson |date=November 26, 2024|access-date=January 13, 2025 |website= PBS |language=en}}
It will be showcased at the 40th Santa Barbara International Film Festival on 6 February 2025 in Doc Shorts.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2025/01/santa-barbara-film-festival-2025-lineup-1236259978/ |title=Santa Barbara Film Festival Sets Full 2025 Program, Will Partner With Direct Relief To Raise Funds For L.A. Wildfires|first= Pete |last=Hammond |date=January 17, 2025|access-date=January 18, 2025 |website= Deadline |language=en}}
Accolades
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|https://www.aswimlesson.com/}}
- {{IMDb title|tt33299037}}
- [https://www.docplus.com/details/a-swim-lesson/OMEahdmO/ A Swim Lesson] at Documentary+
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6ooMTKXAVk A Swim Lesson] on YouTube
- [https://www.letraintrain.co/ A Swim Lesson] at Le Train Train
{{DEFAULTSORT:Swim Lesson, A}}
Category:2024 short documentary films
Category:2020s English-language films