Image+Nation
SWIMMERS

SWIMMERS

RYAN NESBITT | CANADA | 2026 | 13 MIN | ENGLISH

RYAN NESBITT | CANADA | 2026 | 13 MIN | ENGLISH

VIRTUALShortMADE AU CANADA

Synopsis

During summer break, Marco enrolls in lifeguard training and becomes captivated by his opposite, Xavier. Paired for CPR and swimming drills, their connection grows, leaving Marco to decide whether to act on his feelings or let a moment of queer joy pass by.

Filmmaker Bio

Ryan Nesbitt is a queer filmmaker based in Hamilton, Ontario. His work explores illness and queer life, aiming to make visible experiences and emotions that are often overlooked. He earned a BFA in Film Studies from Toronto Metropolitan University's School of Image Arts in 2016 and participated in an international co-production program with the Hochschule für Film und Fernsehen in Munich. Through his films, Nesbitt seeks to encourage greater awareness and understanding of lives that remain underrepresented.

Director's Statement

This film was born from a memory of my adolescence, when I was enrolled in a lifeguard training course. […] From this emerged a queer coming-of-age short that captures the awkwardness of youth and the fragile beauty of discovering one's queer self. It's a cathartic act—giving agency to a character who mirrors my younger self. More than that, it's the story I needed at fifteen: where queer people are central and visible.

Producer

Rebeca Ortiz

Writer

Ryan Nesbitt

Cast

  • Sam Krochmal
  • Jordan Belliveau
  • Hollly Cinnamon
  • Nezar El Rayes
  • Daniella Forget
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