Against The Tides

AGAINST THE TIDES follows marathon swimmer, Beth French, as she sets out to conquer Oceans Seven, a challenge consisting of the seven most dangerous sea-channels in the world. For extreme swimmers, it’s the ultimate test; the equivalent to the seven peaks in mountaineering. Only a handful of people have ever completed it, but Beth aims to become the first person ever to swim all seven in one year. 

It took Beth five years to prepare for the challenge, cost her tens of thousands of pounds and involved hundreds of supporters, but, driven to set an example for her autistic son and by her battle with lifelong illness M.E. (a.k.a. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), Beth travels across continents to far-flung corners of the world… where land meets sea. 

Once in the water, Beth confronts jellyfish, sharks, hypothermia, wild weather and mind-numbing fatigue, along with demons from her past. Each swim can take up to 20 hours, often through the night. Immersed in the waves, Beth is in her element: “Being in water gives me freedom... it’s where I belong’. 

With each swim Beth gets stronger and more determined but as her dramatic journey nears its end, Beth’s burning desire to conquer the open sea comes into heart-rending conflict with a mother’s dreams for her son in an unpredictable and emotional climax.

AGAINST THE TIDES is a feature documentary by the BAFTA-nominated and award-winning filmmaker Stefan Stuckert.