A film documentary about a Black Briton whose fear of not being able to swim and drowning has been dramatised in a gritty drama which battles stereotypes set by society.

It is just over a year now since Ed Accura, producer of new documentary feature Blacks Can’t Swim: The Sequel  co-founded the Black Swimming Association (BSA), set up to encourage black and ethnic minorities to swim. 

It follows the success of Accura and director Mysterex’s first film last year that delved in to reasons why 95 per cent of black adults and 80 per cent of black children in England do not swim. It combines acting and documentary style interviews with black teens and adults in an attempt to action change from the ground up in local communities.

We featured Ed’s relentless one man mission to address this stereotype in an interview about his first film in 2019 which featured his brother Darren who is based in Thornton Heath.

In this latest offering, the rapper and songwriter who also has a day job in IT, plays Frank Awuah in the sequel which focuses on Layla and K-Frost two Black teens from a south London council estate. After enrolling in a community program designed for young adults with disadvantaged backgrounds, they soon learn that they must face their ultimate fear, the water, to complete it. 

They find a mentor in Frank (Accura), a new swimmer who has recently overcome his own personal barriers. Fuelled by true testimonies, this deeply thought-provoking film tackles the age-old myth that black people can’t swim head-on. It travels to the very root of this racial prejudice and begs the question of why?

Ed who also produced the film said about the release: “There comes a point where this generational cycle has to be broken and that time is now.

“Black youths drown at a horrendous rate. Hence the reason why I am focusing on that age group.”

Danielle Obe, Interim CEO for the BSA, said: “Blacks Can’t Swim: The Sequel is an accurate representation of the barriers the black community face when it comes to swimming, whether that stems from an inherited cultural belief, or simply not having the access, knowledge or confidence they need to get in the pool.

“Blacks can’t swim’ is not just a racial stereotype. It denies communities an essential skill that could save someone’s life.”

www.blackscantswim.com