Opening night screening of “Nyad” kicks off SCAD Savannah Film Festival
Written by Julia Gralki. Photo by Julia Gralki.
On September 2, 2013, then 64-year-old Diana Nyad finished her record swim from Cuba to Florida. Ten years later, her story is being brought to the movies by Oscar-winning documentary directors Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin.
Chin introduced the opening night screening of “Nyad” at the SCAD Savannah Film Festival by thanking everyone who contributed to making this film as outstanding and inspiring as it is. Chin is not only an Academy Award-winning filmmaker but also an athlete himself. As a professional mountaineer, climber and skier, Chin completed the first ski descent from the summit of Mount Everest in 2006. His filmmaking career began in 2003 and took off in 2018 when his documentary “Free Solo” won several awards. Nyad’s 110-mile swim is often called the “Mount Everest of swims” – and no one is more suited for telling her story than Chin.
“I imagined being a professional climber or photographer, and I certainly never imagined becoming a professional filmmaker,” Chin said. “It just shows that you can wander your way through life and end up in some pretty interesting places.”
When Nyad (Annette Bening) decided to come out of a 32-year retirement from marathon swimming, she went all-in. With her best friend and coach Bonnie Stoll (Jodie Foster) next to her side, Nyad revived her dream of swimming 110 miles from Havana to Key West. After three years of training and four failed attempts due to extreme weather and dangerous marine life, Nyad finally accomplished the feat that some experts thought was not humanly possible.
When Chin and Vasarhelyi received the script written by Julia Cox (adapted from Nyad’s memoir Find a Way), they knew they had to make the story come to life on screen. “My wife and co-director Vasarhelyi and I have very different points of view and different interests,” said Chin. But Nyad’s story intersected with both of their interests. “It has to be a story you’re passionate about.”
For Chin and Vasarhelyi, “Nyad” departs from traditional documentary-style films. The film carefully balances narrative and documentary by blending innovative recreation techniques with original footage. Nyad’s story is also a testament to the hidden teamwork behind individual achievements. While it was Nyad who swam for nearly 53 hours, she couldn’t have done it without her team’s support. “It’s never too late to chase your dreams,” said Chin. “But if you have those dreams, sometimes you need a little help getting there.”
