Check theatrical trailer for the documentary Swim Team. The film, which features a swim team consisting of teenagers on the autism spectrum, will make its debut in New York City July 7 and then move to other cities. The film will also air on PBS this fall.
Read the official synopsis for the film, which features the team known as the Jersey Hammerheads.
“Based in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, the cast of Swim Team is largely Latino and Asian, minorities that are underrepresented in competitive swimming and underserved in autism intervention and education.
“The film follows three of the team’s star athletes, boys on the cusp of adulthood as they face a future of exclusion and dependence. But everything changes when they come together as a team with parent coaches who train them with high expectations and zero pity. As the team vies for state and national Special Olympics championships, Swim Team captures a moving quest for inclusion, independence and a life that feels winning.”
Read what producer/director Laura Stolman had to say about the final product.
“When people ask me how I found the story of Swim Team, I say it found me. Children with developmental disabilities are routinely excluded from community activities, often as early as preschool. Being told ‘no’ — your child can’t be in the regular class, your child wont keep up in little league, your child isn’t going to college — is something families caring for children with disabilities hear often,” she wrote.
“With the Hammerheads families, I had found a group of parents who refused to take no for an answer. They were saying YES and as a community, it was galvanizing for them. As a mother, I was so personally inspired by what they hoped to accomplish, I knew I had to share their story. I hope my film provides inspiration for families everywhere raising children with unanticipated challenges.”
Check out the film’s official website by clicking here.
Lily Kriel what about this new documentary