Sink or Swim (1990 film)

Sink or Swim is an experimental film written and directed by Su Friedrich originally released in 1990. In 2015, the United States Library of Congress selected the film for preservation in the National Film Registry, finding it "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".[1]

Sink or Swim
Directed bySu Friedrich
Written bySu Friedrich
Narrated byJessica Meyerson
Release date
  • 1990 (1990)
Running time
48 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Through a series of twenty six short stories, Sink or Swim describes the childhood events that shaped a girl's ideas about fatherhood, family relations, work and play. As the stories unfold, a dual portrait emerges: that of a father who cared more for his career than for his family, and of a daughter who was deeply affected by his behavior. Working in counterpoint to the forceful text are sensual black and white images that depict both the extraordinary and ordinary events of daily life. Together, they create a formally complex and emotionally intense film.[2]

The film's title comes from an incident from Friedrich's childhood when her father taught her to swim by throwing her in the water after explaining the science behind swimming.[3]

References
  1. Mike Barnes (December 16, 2015). "'Ghostbusters,' 'Top Gun,' 'Shawshank' Enter National Film Registry". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 16, 2015.
  2. William C. Weiss, “Carrying on: Leslie Thornton, Su Friedrich, Abigail Child and American Avant-Garde Film of the Eighties.” Canadian journal of Film Studies, Vol.10 no.1 Spring: 70–95. Weiss noted that, in Sink or Swim, accumulated images and allusions “leave little doubt about the girl/woman’s sexual orientation”, <however, unlike some of Friedrich’s other films, such as Gently Down the Stream (1981), Damned if You Don’t (1987), and Hide and Seek (1996), lesbian desire is not a major theme.
  3. Camper, Fred (February 8, 1991). "Daddy's Girl". Chicago Reader. Retrieved 2015-12-17.


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