An eco campaigner nicknamed the ‘human fish’ after swimming around the Cayman Islands to highlight plastic pollution in our oceans is the star of a new documentary film.
The first screening of The Grand Swim, featuring Oly Rush’s 60-mile circumnavigation, was held at Durlston Castle in Swanage at the weekend.
Verwood-based Grizzly Productions is behind the feature length film which is now being offered for worldwide distribution.
The Cayman Islands challenge was a world first.
It involved Oly swimming for a gruelling 37 hours non-stop following a string of challenges such as training injuries, tensions within the team and tide miscalculations.
They pushed Oly, pictured, who lives in Upton, to his mental and physical limits.
He said: “I saw it as a huge opportunity to raise awareness for plastic pollution.
“I knew it was going to be big, but I didn’t really know how big it was going to be.”
The Grand Swim is described as showing how one person’s impact can ripple around the world against a seemingly impossible, and ever-increasing, fight against plastic pollution.
Grizzly recorded the entire challenge, right from the planning stage.
It says the result is an incredible story of aspiration, danger, dedication, craziness and ultimately success.
Director Mike Coggan, of Grizzly Productions, said: “Having directed a successful short film with Oly in 2021 named ‘Rush’, and after hearing his ambitions for a potential 30 hour swim around a Caribbean Island, we wanted to craft a film which matched the scale of his mission.
“At Grizzly Productions we have always wanted to make the jump to feature-length filmmaking and this was the perfect opportunity to do that.”
Steve Garay, Producer, said: “We aimed to make a film that would inspire change and encourage viewers to consider their footprint when it comes to single-use plastics.
“The swim itself is a highly evocative and entertaining way of delivering these messages around plastic pollution.”
David & Lynn Coleman, of DAL Productions, are Executive Producers of the documentary.
Lynn said: “World Earth Day 2024 is on Monday April 22.
“With this year’s theme being ‘Planet vs Plastics’, we hope The Grand Swim will help inspire viewers around the world to avoid single use plastic in all its forms.”
The Grand Swim screening at Durlston Castle was in partnership with the Purbeck Film Festival.
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