Parting the Waters – Breaking Swimming’s Color Barrier

October 5, 2007 by Realscreen Staff

In 2004, Maritza Correia became the first African-American female swimmer on the US Olympic team, winning silver in Athens. In 2006, Cullen Jones set a world record in the 50-meter freestyle. Though young black and Latino athletes are making inroads in competitive swimming, they make up fewer than one percent of the field in the US. Parting the Waters is the story of the two aforementioned swimmers, and the kids they mentor, as the two champions prepare for the Beijing Olympics.
Viewers are likely to be surprised or infuriated by this film, which confronts an issue few have considered. Waters has been selected for an IFP ‘work in progress’ screening, and fits nicely into a number of skeds, thanks to the number of genres it naturally appeals to.

Partners: Do Tell Productions distributed through Louise Rosen Ltd.
Wrapping: Summer 2008
Length: 60 or 90 minutes
Rights available: Worldwide

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