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.
Shot entirely in the real English Channel, the film features lead actress Kirsten Callaghan performing all her own swimming after intensive open- water training. “We wanted to fully submerge audiences in Mercedes’ world,” says writer-director Elliott Hasler. “Everything you see is real; no tanks, no green screens, no body doubles.”
Released across the UK, Ireland and Malta in March 2024 for International Women’s Day, Vindication Swim broke Top 20 at the UK box office and screened in over 300 cinemas during an 18-week run, finishing as the 10th highest-grossing British indie of the year. Following this success, the film opened theatrically in New York in October 2025 before rolling out to major cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and Toronto. It is now available digitally and on DVD.
