A Swim Lesson
An ode to an everyday hero, Bill Marsh, a swim teacher who helps children discover their own power when submerged in an overwhelming unknown.
Watching a child learn how to swim is like witnessing a great opera. It’s a tale filled with agony, ecstasy, absurdity, fear, hope, despair, joy, connection and love. Lots and lots of love. The director of this watery opera is one of Los Angeles’ own, swim teacher Bill Marsh. Bill is an ordinary man with extraordinary talent. “A Swim Lesson” celebrates the inherent strength and resilience with which we are born into this world. At a time of great division, we felt drawn to Bill and his teaching which is so pure, so profound. We felt it was worth filming to share with the world. The kids we followed go on a journey that is triumphant, hopeful, life-affirming and lifesaving.
Over half of the world’ s population cannot swim, and drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1-4 in the United States. Kids die, mainly, in schools and pools. And it is our responsibility to keep them safe. We are failing them. And we must do better. We hope this film, in one way or another, inspires swim safety for our children.
Bill’s teaching also made a huge imprint on us as parents. It’s human nature to want to protect your kids from pain. But pain and suffering is a part of life. You will not and cannot escape it. And the sooner you understand that, and embrace it, the better. Our job as parents is not to eliminate suffering, but to help our kids face it with compassion and understanding and love. The kids in Bill’s lessons deal with adversity, but they face it, and prevail. Their reward is the freedom and joy of learning to swim, which is the closest human beings will ever get to flying. As Bill says, “You can’t get the treasures unless you face the dragon.”
Over half of the world’ s population cannot swim, and drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1-4 in the United States. Kids die, mainly, in schools and pools. And it is our responsibility to keep them safe. We are failing them. And we must do better. We hope this film, in one way or another, inspires swim safety for our children.
Bill’s teaching also made a huge imprint on us as parents. It’s human nature to want to protect your kids from pain. But pain and suffering is a part of life. You will not and cannot escape it. And the sooner you understand that, and embrace it, the better. Our job as parents is not to eliminate suffering, but to help our kids face it with compassion and understanding and love. The kids in Bill’s lessons deal with adversity, but they face it, and prevail. Their reward is the freedom and joy of learning to swim, which is the closest human beings will ever get to flying. As Bill says, “You can’t get the treasures unless you face the dragon.”