Dive In
How do you relax after a tough day? For the 15 women living near the rough cliffs of Pembrokeshire, Wales, a ‘wild swimming’ dip makes them come together, not only to enjoy the exhilarating cold water swimming, but also to support each other through their respective challenges in life.
Strength in numbers
Watch these women of different ages and backgrounds go out into the sea in matching swimsuits and brave the waves with smiles on their faces, as powerful feelings of freedom and friendship wash over them.
Meet the director
Director Irene Baqué is the talent behind Soul Swimmers and the other Our Sisterhood stories. For this series, Baqué provides an insight into the everyday existence of women from different ages, backgrounds and stages of life, showing the importance of being able to rely on other women to get through the highs and lows. “To me, sisterhood means support, love and encouragement between women and this project gave me the opportunity to show this through the stories of the remarkable women in the films,” she explains. With an eye for detail and love of raw, colourful visuals, Baqué captures the intimate and powerful nature of sisterly bonds with each short film. “My aim is to portray who these women are,” she says, “both individually as well as who they become when part of a group, part of their sisterhood.”
Different strokes
The group of 15 become one as they enter the water, making sure that the weakest swimmer always has a partner nearby to rely on. “If you ask around you will realise that everyone is there for a reason. They are all going through something if you listen enough. But sometimes we just want for people to listen to us without them feeling sorry for us… They are my ‘fix’,” says one member. From sunbathing together to bringing their personal stories to the surface, the women find joy in the closeness that cold water swimming brings.