NYAD

US, 2023, 123 minutes, Colour.

Annette Bening, Jodie Foster, Rhys Ifans, Dee Brady, Eric T.Miller, Ethan Jones Romero.

Directed by Jimmy Chin, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi.

A good word of advice for anyone intending to see Nyad and is unfamiliar with the career of American swimmer, journalist and media personality, Diane Nyad: don’t look for any information about her and her achievements. This will make viewing the film so much more interesting, exciting.

At the opening of the film, and several times throughout, reference is made to her surname, Nyad, a Greek name, and the traditional name for water nymphs. She saw herself destined to be a swimmer – although, it is later noted, that Nyad is the name of her adoptive father.

The film is worth seeing for the performances of the central characters. At the centre, and always demanding to be at the centre, is Diana herself, played by Anette Bening, very much resembling photos of Nyad. For decades, Annette Bening has played a variety of roles, sometimes very strong women. This time she plays an exceedingly strong woman, not someone that most of us would actually like to meet in real life! But she is American-determined. Preparation for the role, and so many of the sequences within the film, must have been physically gruelling for the actress, a totally committed performance, and an actress who is not preoccupied by age nor by appearance.

And the other performance worth seeing is that of Jodie Foster as her close friend, Bonnie. And filmgoers may realise that we have been watching Jodie Foster in films for 50 years, from young girl and commercials through a range of feature films and directing career. She brings a deep humanity to her role, often exasperated, challenged, and always supportive.

And, speaking of performances, it is a pleasure to see Rhys Ifans as something of a crusty sea captain who is also an expert on tides and currents.

The film focuses particularly on the years 2010-2013, Diane Nyad turning 60. So, it is a portrait of ambition, determination, no holds barred, no apologies – until the end, some moments of grace, finally.

There is an almost documentary look to the film especially in the training and the action sequences, rugged, endurance – with the directors being the husband and wife team, Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, who had built up a substantial reputation for documentaries of heroic physical exertion, Meru and Himalayan mountain climbing, Free Solo with loan and donated climber in Yosemite, and a documentary about the rescue of the Thai boys from the flooded cave in 2018.

Portrait of a strong and determined woman, compellingly told. (Although some commentators note that the film is very favourable, and that Nyad has not always been honest in her accounts about herself.)

1. Based on a true story? Audience knowledge of Diana Nyad and her career, achievements? Or are surprised story?
2. The film filling in the background, her surname and the Greek water nymphs, Diana as Huntress, the fact that she was adopted, her relationship with her adoptive father? Her upbringing, family life, swimming and achievement, her coach, Jack Nelson, the later accusations of sexual abuse, his death? Her father and her determination? Training, performance, swimming skills? The long swims, the English Channel, the Hudson River…? The attempts to swim from Cuba to Florida?
3. The film set in the present, Anette Bening and her screen presence and performance, non-glamorous, as Nyad? Jodie Foster and her presence as Bonnie, former companion, longtime friend, acting as coach, acting as critic, acting as conscience, acting as challenge? Nyad and her self-centredness, narcissistic disregard of others’ opinions, self-confidence?
4. The importance of the flashbacks, visualising Nyad as a girl, family, coach, the swimming attempts?
5. The present, the scenes of the two friends, conversations, socials, their set? Personalities, friendships, sexual orientation?
6. Nyad at 60, deciding to do the tumour-Florida swim? Her decisions, involving Bonnie, Bonnie is coach, the rigorous training sequences? The cumulative effect?
7. The building up of the crew, the experts, medical, physical, whether experts, ocean experts? The introduction to each of these characters, their place on the boat, interactions, their treatment from Nyad?
8. John Bartlett, the approach, his personality, family, his boat, his practical skills, the nature of the currents, the weather? The challenge to Nyad? His agreeing to participate? The drama of his checking the currents, the times for the swimming attempt, the clashes with Nyad? Leaving, returning, part of the achievement?
9. The media, Nyad and her commentating on the ABC Wide World of Sport? The reputation? Interest, her age, wariness?
10. The past attempts and her failure when young? Her determination, obsession?
11. The visualising of the different attempts, the maps, getting so far, the difficulties, her concentration, the music, Bonnie calling her in, the feeding, support? Progressing further with each attempt, the aftermath of each?
12. Alienating Bonnie, her leaving? The next attempt, cajoling people to come back to her? The final attempt, the difficulties, the achievement, so close, persevering? Onshore, not to be touched, arriving with her own power, the crowds?
13. The directors and their skill in documentaries about superhuman physical efforts? Bringing this talent to a narrative, to ocean swimming? And a portrait of an interesting if difficult to deal with central character?