Daisy Ridley Fights Sexism and Elements in Young Woman and The Sea

In 2023, Diana Nyad was lauded and applauded as her story of ageism while conquering a life long dream of swimming more than 100 miles from Cuba to Florida. She spent more than 53 hours in shark- and jellyfish-infested waters, and was 64 years old at the time. For me, this woman is such an inspiration and example of what it looks like to never give up or to let age get in your head or in your way.  All of that was solidified even more so when I learned about Trudy Ederle.

In 1905, Ederle was born to immigrant parents in New York City and through the steadfast support of her older sister and trainers, she overcame sexism, the animosity of a patriarchal society while rising through the ranks of her Olympic swimming team and completing  a 21-mile trek from France to England.

Directed by Joachim Rønning  and based on the Glenn Stout book  “Young Woman and the Sea: How Trudy Ederle Conquered the English Channel and Inspired the World,” Daisy Ridley proves her undeniable star power.  Similar to Annette Bening in “Nyad,” we witness Ridley pushing her body to its limit while combating swarms of jellyfish, ill fitting swimsuit, broken goggles and the annoying resistance of men embracing women athletes for no good reason other than to stroke their fragile egos.

This cast is superb from the top to the bottom and the manner in which the Ederle’s sisterhood is tested and played out is just as complicated as one would expect from sisters who love each other.  Tilda Cobham Hervey (Margaret Ederle), Stephen Graham (Bill Burgess), Jeanette Hain are spectacular and only enhance Ridley’s diamond performance.  Yet, the biggest lesson learned is Ederle’s strength came from all the women in her life – her mother, her coach and her sister  solidifying when women stay steadfast there is nothing we as a gender or human being can’t accomplish.  This film reminded me of how my own mother (though my harshest critic) has been my inspiration and the one person who believed in me when no one else did.  These types of women always shape the next generation of humans who are inspired to make a difference with every second that they inhabit the earth – no matter what.

Trudy Ederle’s  time of 14 hours, 31 minutes for the 35-mile (56K) distance broke the previous record held by a man, bettering it by almost two hours, and it stood for 35 years as the woman’s record.  She would go on to play herself in a movie (Swim Girl, Swim starring Bebe Daniels) and tour the vaudeville circuit, including later Billy Rose’s Aquacade. Having  poor hearing since childhood due to measles, by the 1940s she was almost completely deaf. Aside from her time in vaudeville, she taught swimming to deaf children,  never married and died at the in 2003 at the age of 98.

Hands down one of the most emotional and inspiring films of the year, Young Woman and The Sea is a perfect example of what can happen when the impossible becomes possible.