Synchronised finale for EIFF

Oliver Parker’s Swimming With Men to close festival

by Amber Wilkinson



The UK premiere of British comedy Swimming With Men – starring Rob Brydon, Adeel Akhatar, Jim Carter, Rupert Graves, Thomas Turgoose and Daniel Mays – will close Edinburgh International Film Festival on July 1.

Directed by BAFTA-nominated Oliver Parker (Dorian Gray, An Ideal Husband) and written by Aschlin Ditta (Scenes Of A Sexual Nature) the film stars Brydon as an accountant who finds escapism from his mid-life crisis after joining an all-male group of synchronised swimmers. Initially keeping their personal lives in the locker, the ramshackle squad and coach Susan (Charlotte Riley) slowly begin to reveal their inner lives, as well as their paunches. But can they get their routines, not to mention their lives, in sync as they embark on an unlikely journey to Milan to compete in the World Championship? Brydon and Parker are expected to attend alongside other cast.

Film will open across the UK on July 6
Film will open across the UK on July 6 Photo: Vertigo Releasing

EIFF artistic director Mark Adams said: “Swimming with Men is a classic British comedy delight packed with a series of quite wonderful performances. It is the perfect film to wrap up a festival that prides itself on celebrating all that is great about British filmmaking.”

Director Oliver Parker added: “It’s such an honour and a real pleasure to be having our UK premiere as the closing film at Edinburgh International Film Festival. I can’t think of a better place for our intrepid swimmers to take the plunge.”

Vertigo Releasing will open Swimming with Men across the UK on July 6.

The full programme for the festival, which runs from June 20 to July 1, will be announced on May 23. Tickets for the closing night gala and the already announced opening film Puzzle, are available from the official website.

See more images from the film in our Swimming With Men gallery.

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