Sea-Eye Turns a Swimming Lesson Into Stark Reminder of the Dangers Facing Young Refugees at Sea

For most children, learning to swim is a fun pastime and a rite of passage. But for young refugees attempting the treacherous crossing of the Mediterranean Sea, ‘swimming like a fish’ is a literal life skill to be put to the ultimate test in a desperate struggle to survive. To highlight the dangers facing these children - and support its vital rescue missions - NGO Sea-Eye has launched Like a Fish, a powerful new film directed by Oliver Bernotat and produced by Simon & Paul.

Launching on UNICEF World Children’s Day [20th November], Like a Fish was inspired by a shocking statistic: since 2018, over 1,500 children have drowned or gone missing in the Mediterranean Sea while fleeing to Europe. 

In the film, which opens on a typical beach scene complete with giggling children, parasols and families frolicking in the water, a father is seen encouraging his son to swim ‘like a fish’ in the gentle waves. But the moment of joy when he swims off independently soon turns dark - as the scene shifts for the child who is now alone in a vast ocean wearing a life vest - desperately trying to reach land while repeating his dad’s mantra: ‘like a fish’.  

Simple yet devastatingly effective, the film shines a spotlight on an issue that has all but disappeared from the headlines - with the powerful reminder that no child should have to swim for their lives. Adding a further sense of authenticity, the film was shot in Tunisia with a Tunisian cast, one of the major jumping off points on the deadly Mediterranean migrant route.  

Almost two years in the making, the film was created for Sea-Eye - an NGO dedicated to rescuing refugees in the Mediterranean, saving lives and offering hope - on an entirely pro-bono basis. As well as directing the film, Oliver Bernotat developed the creative concept alongside creative director Ibrahem Ghareib, while production was handled by Hamburg-based production and creative studio Simon & Paul, with music by Thomas Muis from 2WEI Music. 

“Almost a decade after the world was moved to tears by photos of a drowned Syrian toddler, the topic of child refugees is no longer grabbing headlines - despite the fact that, since 2018, over 1,500 children have drowned or gone missing in the Mediterranean. That’s why, for UNICEF’s World Children Day, we wanted to put a human face to the statistics as well as spotlighting the vital rescue work of SeaEye. This was a two-year labour of love with a straightforward message at its heart: no child should have to swim for their life,” says Simon Fessler, executive producer and managing partner, Simon & Paul.

Comments Oliver Bernotat, director, “This project was really close to our hearts and quite a challenge to pull off, but we're really proud of the result and grateful for everyone who contributed to this important message. I wanted it to feel like a short film, a story that pulls you in without knowing where it's going to take you.”.