Narrated by Academy Award nominee Naomie Harris, Catherine Joy White’s acclaimed short documentary distributed by Voce Spettacolo celebrates Black women, sisterhood and the transformative power of water.
LOS ANGELES, CA – November 6, 2026 – Voce Spettacolo, the releasing company and awards campaign distributor of Swim Sistas, announces that Oscar-nominated and BAFTA-winning actress Wunmi Mosaku has joined the acclaimed British short documentary as an Executive Producer.
Best known for her acclaimed performances in Sinners, Loki and Lovecraft Country, Mosaku brings her artistic vision and commitment to powerful storytelling to a documentary that explores the relationship between Black women and water, addressing themes of identity, representation, belonging and intergenerational resilience.
Directed by Catherine Joy White, Swim Sistas is a poetic and visually rich documentary that celebrates the beauty of water and the strength of sisterhood. Narrated by Academy Award nominee Naomie Harris (Moonlight, Skyfall), who lends her voice to Mami Wata, a mythical figure embodying ancestral strength, spirituality and hope, the film offers an intimate and uplifting portrait of four Black British women whose lives are connected through their relationship with swimming.
Moving beyond the traditional boundaries of documentary storytelling, Swim Sistas follows four women across different generations and experiences: Alice Dearing, Great Britain’s first Black female Olympic swimmer; professional rugby player and television personality Jasmine Boatswain; young swimming athlete Lexie Sandiford; and Roni Bruno, who began learning to swim at the age of 54. Through their individual journeys, the film explores the historical and cultural barriers that have shaped Black women’s relationship with swimming and open water, while placing joy, freedom, empowerment and community at the heart of its narrative. From an Olympic trailblazer who challenged barriers in competitive swimming to a woman discovering the freedom of the water for the first time in her fifties, their stories form a powerful collective portrait of courage, self-discovery and connection.
At the centre of the film is the evocative voice of Mami Wata, brought to life by Naomie Harris, which adds an ancestral and poetic dimension to the documentary. Blending original poetry, striking cinematography and an intimate visual language, Catherine Joy White creates a cinematic experience that is both deeply personal and universally resonant. Since its premiere at DOC NYC, Swim Sistas has travelled extensively across the international festival circuit, reaching audiences at more than 50 festivals worldwide and receiving recognition for its artistic and social impact. The documentary’s growing international recognition reflects the relevance of its central message: access to water, representation and the freedom to experience swimming should be shared by everyone.
Voce Spettacolo, the award-winning film production and distribution company founded by Walter Nicoletti, behind the 2025 Academy Award®-winning Best Animated Short Film In the Shadow of the Cypress, serves as the distributor and awards campaign representative for Swim Sistas, overseeing its international distribution, theatrical exhibition and Academy Awards qualification process. The company organized and managed the film’s seven-day consecutive theatrical run at the Lumiere Music Hall in Beverly Hills from September 18 to 24, 2026, fulfilling the theatrical exhibition requirement for consideration in the 99th Academy Awards.
Through its work in international film distribution, theatrical releases, festival strategy and awards campaigning, Voce Spettacolo continues to support independent filmmakers and projects with distinctive cultural and artistic perspectives, guiding them through the complex stages of international distribution and Academy Awards consideration. The company’s involvement in Swim Sistas forms part of its wider commitment to bringing meaningful independent cinema to international audiences and supporting filmmakers throughout the awards season. As Swim Sistas enters this new chapter with Wunmi Mosaku joining its Executive Producing team, the film continues to build momentum around a story that celebrates the strength of women, the importance of representation and the universal power of belonging.
