Vindication Swim (2024), will screen at the IU Cinema, followed by a live audience Q&A with British independent filmmaker Elliott Hasler.

Vindication Swim tells the remarkable true story of Mercedes Gleitze, a working-class typist and daughter of German immigrants who, in 1927, became the first British woman to swim the English Channel. In an era when women faced significant social barriers and female athletes struggled for recognition, Gleitze achieved an extraordinary feat of endurance. The film celebrates a pioneering athlete whose determination carried her through physical hardship, prejudice, and a fight for the recognition she deserved.

The film itself has a remarkable story behind it. Its swimming sequences were filmed miles offshore in the actual English Channel, with lead actress Kirsten Callaghan performing her own swimming—without tanks, green screens, or body doubles.

The event is co-sponsored by the IU School of Public Health–Bloomington and The Media School.