A child’s swimming lesson at the beach turns into an ocean swim to survive, capturing the attention of viewers, who watch the child struggle to “swim like a fish”. The film, produced by Simon & Paul and directed by Oliver Bernotat for NGO, Sea-Eye, launched on UNICEF World Children’s Day to remind the world of the dangers facing young refugees at sea.
1,500 refugee children have died or gone missing while attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea since 2018, the film, Like a Fish, notes.
For most children, learning to swim is a fun pastime and a rite of passage. But for young refugees attempting the treacherous crossing of the Mediterranean Sea, “swimming like a fish” is a life skill to be put to the ultimate test in a desperate struggle to survive.
The film brings back to public awareness an issue that has all but disappeared from the headlines, with the powerful reminder that no child should have to swim for their lives. Adding a further sense of authenticity, the film was shot in Tunisia with a Tunisian cast, one of the major jumping off points on the deadly Mediterranean migrant route.
Like a Fish was almost two years in the making for Sea-Eye, an NGO dedicated to rescuing refugees in the Mediterranean, saving lives and offering hope, on an entirely pro-bono basis. As well as directing the film, Oliver Bernotat developed the creative concept alongside creative director, Ibrahem Ghareib, while production was handled by Hamburg-based production and creative studio, Simon & Paul, with music by Thomas Muis from 2WEI Music.
“Almost a decade after the world was moved to tears by photos of a drowned Syrian toddler, the topic of child refugees is no longer grabbing headlines – despite the fact that, since 2018, over 1,500 children have drowned or gone missing in the Mediterranean. That’s why, for UNICEF’s World Children Day, we wanted to put a human face to the statistics as well as spotlighting the vital rescue work of SeaEye. This was a two-year labour of love with a straightforward message at its heart: no child should have to swim for their life,” stated Simon Fessler, executive producer and managing partner, Simon & Paul.
Oliver Bernotat added, “This project was really close to our hearts and quite a challenge to pull off, but we’re really proud of the result and grateful for everyone who contributed to this important message. I wanted it to feel like a short film, a story that pulls you in without knowing where it’s going to take you.”
Credits:
Production Company: Simon & Paul
Director: Oliver Bernotat
Executive Producer: Simon Fessler, Tobias Paul
Producer: Tobias Stiegler
Script & Concept: Oliver Bernotat & Ibrahem Ghareib
Director of Photography: Jan David Gunther
Editor: Nik Kohler @ Cabin Edit
Colour Grading: Joseph Bicknell @ Company 3
Music: 2WEI Music
Composer: Thomas Muis
VFX: Replayboys
