Vindication Swim

Event information

To coincide with international Womens Day Lucem House are screening 'Vindication Swim', the inspirational true story of Mercedes Gleitze, who in 1927 became the first British woman to swim the English Channel. The film depicts Mercedes’ upstream struggle in overcoming both the cold waters of the English Channel and the oppressive society of 1920s England. However, after a rival comes forward claiming to have accomplished the same feat, Mercedes is forced into battle to retain her record and her legacy.

Her background was one of working class, immigrant status. During the last decade of the 19th century her parents travelled from Germany to England to look for work, and they settled in Brighton, where Mercedes and her two elder sisters were born. This is where Mercedes learnt to swim when she was 10 years old.

 After World War I, the family resettled in Germany. In 1921, when she came of age, Mercedes returned to England, the country of her birth. She found a job as a typist in London, rented a flat, and became one of the ‘new women’ of that era, living an independent life of her own choosing. 

But she wanted more from life. She had two ambitions: to become a long distance swimmer; and to help the unemployed homeless people sleeping rough in London. She believed that if she became a professional swimmer she might earn enough in prize money to set up a charity to combat poverty.
Produced by Relsah Films, Sea High Productions and Arden Entertainment the film features a standout British cast including an award-winning debut performance from Kirsten Callaghan, in the role of Mercedes Gleitze.
Also starring John Locke (Poor Things), Victoria Summer (Saving Mr. Banks), James Wilby (Poldark) and Douglas Hodge (Joker).