Under the Surface is a documentary film that explores acceptance after injury, men’s mental health, and what it means to be vulnerable as a man in the outdoor endurance swimming world.
We go back to the time before Jim found swimming, where he broke his back in a work-related accident. We are taken through Jim’s experiences with addiction to pain medication, his loss of his long-term relationship, and through the reality of recovering from an injury.
Jim finds solace and rehabilitation in endurance swimming, learning to walk again through his swimming, and starting to build a new career as a swim coach in the process.
A film by Rachel Sarah
Assistant Editing by Jonathan Doyle
Additional Camera by Sam Walker and Michael Fleming
Featuring James ‘Jim’ Read
Screening supported by Alpkit
Screenings & Festivals
- Kendal Mountain Festival
- London Mountain Film Festival
- Keswick Alhambra Cinema Premiere Screening
Features & Press
- Outdoor Swimmer
- Visit Cumbria
- The Evie Dove Foundation
- Grimsby Live