image source, Netflix
Annette Bening stars as Diana Nyad in the Netflix adaptation.
- author, Steven McIntosh
- stock, Entertainment Correspondent, BBC
Sharks, jellyfish stings, tropical storms, navigation problems, and physical exhaustion are the kinds of problems that don’t bother the average person during a normal workday.
But these are the challenges retired athlete Diana Neat faced during her many attempts in her early 60s to become the first person to swim 177km from Cuba to Florida without a safety cage.
Most people, including Neat, thought she retired from competitive swimming at age 30.
But after more than three decades, he decided to move on A goal that eluded him when he was 20 years old.
Having attempted the challenge in 1979, Nayad made four more attempts to cross the water since 2011, finally realizing his dream in 2013.
Her story has now been adapted for the screen by Netflix, and actress Annette Bening was nominated for an Oscar for her portrayal of the swimmer, who enlists the help of her friend and coach, Bonnie Stoll.
“Every time you go swimming, you think of course she’s going to do it,” the real Stoll tells BBC News.
“It’s a bummer when it doesn’t happen. Especially for her, because it’s another year of training, Because no matter what, she’s not going to give up.“.
image source, Good pictures
Diana Neat spent three decades as a sports broadcaster.
Stoll, played by Jodie Foster in the film, is as much a part of the story as Niath.
He traveled with his best friend, directed the action and kept the expedition on track.
“I played racquetball for 10 years and Diana was my coach and she taught me a lot about fitness,” explains Stoll. “So I got to switch roles and train Diana, which was really cool and I loved it. I learned more about human will than anything else“.
Titled Nyad, the film marks the debut of husband-wife directorial duo Elizabeth Chai Vazarheli and Jimmy Chin.
They previously made Free Solo, a documentary about a ropeless climber, and The Rescue, about children trapped in a cave in Thailand.
“Like moths to a flame, Jimmy and I were drawn to these stories About people who exceed possible limits“And Diana Neat is just that,” Vasserheli explains.
“Rescue and free solo were centered around a man or a group of men. For a while we were looking at: How would that play out on a woman? What would that look like, how would that be different?”
Who is Diana Neat?
- The long-distance swimmer rose to fame in 1975 when he swam around Manhattan.
- In 1979, he swam 164 km from Bimini, Bahamas to Florida in 27.5 hours, setting an open water swimming distance record.
- He retired from competitive swimming at age 30 and spent the next three decades as a sports broadcaster.
- In 2011, he came out of retirement to become the first person to swim from Cuba to Key West, Florida without a shark cage.
- It took three more attempts over three years, but he finally completed the feat in 2013 at the age of 64 after 53 hours of swimming.
- But he remains a divisive figure among endurance swimmers because of controversy over some of his claims.
image source, Good pictures
Neat has been a controversial figure among open water swimmers.
Generally, in movies, anyone other than the main character is referred to as a supporting character, and the person who plays them is referred to as a supporting actor.
Never has this been a more fitting topic than in the case of Stollen, who has been Niad’s greatest support year after year, constantly traveling alongside her friend as she pursues her goal.
“I was a supporting character,” admits Stoll. “In her head, we did it together. In my head, I saw her doing it.”.
“Through the years of trying and practicing, Diana and I were on the same page,” he recalls. “We might argue, but I don’t think we ever did.” [durante ese tiempo]. I’m very irritable, but I haven’t been irritable in years.
One of the most interesting aspects of the film is how Niyath overcomes the dangers. For example, sharks are frightened by an intrusive audio signal sent from a boat.
However, a jellyfish stung him on the forearm and neck, causing severe respiratory problems and ending his third attempt.
For his next swim, he wore a custom-made safety mask.
Its eventual victory in 2013 was so unusual that some critics raised questions.
Did he really not hold the boat at any time to rest his body? Could he have done it without help in such a short time?
The World Open Water Swimming Association said there was a “significant gap” in his successful swim records, which was not officially recognised. Guinness World Records also revoked its recognition.
Also, Niad was previously charged with the crime Exaggerating or making false statements about swimmingand has been described as “the self-aggrandizing scourge of the open water swimming community”.
But his crew attributed their feat to the fast-flowing Gulf Stream in their favor, and Neat dismissed doubters: “I swam. We did it, with our team we did it from the reefs of Cuba to the beaches of Florida. Impeccable and ethical environment.”
The Open Water Swimming Federation also supported Nayad There is no evidence that he cheated.
image source, Netflix
The film stars Bonnie Stoll, Niad’s friend and trainer, as Jodie Poster.
Good reviewers
Stoll delivered food and liquids to Niate from the ship. He had assistants, including chief navigator John Bartlett (played by Rhys Ifans in the film).
“One of the rules was there would be no sarcasm,” Stoll recalls. “And you can’t tell the time either. But we were a team, for sure. If everybody did their job the way they were supposed to, it was going to be a success.”
Generally, The film has been well received by the criticsMany of them praised Bening’s headstrong and unforgiving portrayal of the character.
“Niadin Bening’s portrayal is one of the best he’s ever done, perfectly embracing the athlete’s stubbornness and strong will,” Collider’s Isabella Soares wrote.
“Congratulations [la guionista Julia] “Cox and the entire team never shy away from ‘liking’ the harsher aspects of Diana’s personality,” wrote Entertainment Weekly’s Maureen Lee Lenker.
But elaborating on the film, he added: “Niad simply tries to do too much. Every attempt at swimming should be like a thriller, with exciting scenes at stake at every moment, But it’s undermined by pacing issues in other areas“
Nyad himself told the LA Times that he was inspired by the film, but couldn’t talk more about it because he’s part of the Actors Guild of America, whose members are currently on strike.
Stoll says the film is “too” true to reality. “There are other aspects to Diana’s personality because she’s so diverse, but the film is who she is, in every way,” he adds.
Niyath is a tough character to like and his portrayal in the film doesn’t soften it. “It’s important to create a complete picture. You never see roles like that for women.”Vaserheli explains.
image source, Netflix
Actress Annette Bening trained for over a year to play Nyad.
It’s not hard to imagine Bening getting a fifth Oscar nomination for the role. “I mean, insha’Allah, right? God willing,” Vasarheli says.
Emma Stone, Carey Mulligan, Lily Gladstone and Sandra Huller are hotly contested in the Best Actress race this year.
“I don’t know, I think awards are magic, but I would say acting [de Bening] It certainly deserves great recognition,” reflects the co-director.
“He trained for more than a year and he doesn’t hesitate to play a complicated character that you don’t always like.. And I’m incredibly impressed by how he inhabits his body at 64.
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