Its 90 seconds of running time are filled with close-ups of Speedos, underwater pool footage and sweaty actors doing push-ups with chains around their necks. Erez arrives because he has to survive and blend in and be good in a sport that is considered manly, which can give him the freedom to live his life as he wants.”Īdditionally, the trailer makes it clear that this is an erotically charged film. “The rest of the swimmers arrive to become the best swimmers that they can. In a separate interview with The Georgia Voice’s Jim Farmer, Kalderon depicted Erez using his athletic skills as cover for his sexuality in a way that would have been familiar to several LGBTQ athletes before they came out: Based on what Kalderon has revealed about the film’s themes, it would appear that he did not encounter much acceptance during his swimming career.Īs he told ScreenDaily’s Geoffrey MacNab, “By making this film, we would not only want to highlight the problem of homophobic bullying in professional sport, but show a hero who is brave and strong enough to face adversity and is able to overcome everything with attitude.”
