Mariel (Karla Souza) is a veteran diver who is about to reach her last Olympics in Athens 2004. Everything changes for her when her coach is accused of sexual abuse by a teenage girl from the team, at that moment she must make the most important decision of her life.

That's the premise of The Dive, the sports film from Prime Video, inspired by the real story of the Mexican Olympic diver Azul Almazán, who participated in the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games and reported her coach, opposing the authorities of her country and with consequences that we will not mention here to avoid revealing plot details.

In addition to being the protagonist, Souza is also the producer and creator of this project that is very personal for her, because as a survivor of abuse in the industry, as she revealed in 2018, she wanted to tell a story that gave voice to many others who had been silenced.

Breaking the silence

"Film is the medium I chose to tell this story, which is not only about Azul and many other athletes, it's also mine and that of many other women and girls," she said on social media in 2022, when the movie premiered.

"I dedicate The Dive to all the women who have survived abuse, to all those who are experiencing it, and above all, to those who were unfortunately taken from us too soon. You are not alone, I believe you and will continue fighting together for our right to live without fear," she added.

In the movie, the character of Mariel faces the dilemma of keeping silent to take advantage of her last chance to participate in the Olympics or deciding to confront the blocked memories of her own personal experience with abuse.

"We wanted to tell something universal through a single character, and for me it was very important to show the moment lived before being able to name and accept what happened," Souza tells GQ Mexico in an interview.

Lucía Puenzo, the director, stated in the Mexican media that it is important to recognize that these abuses are still happening, but that this story takes place in 2004, when the world was different and movements like Me Too did not yet exist. "Speaking in those years was triply brave, and that's what this movie is about," she says.

The physical challenge

In addition to telling a very personal story that was an emotional challenge, Souza also trained physically to be able to perform the dives on screen without the need for stunt doubles.

"She spent 3 years training as a diver," explains the director of The Dive. "Karla jumps from a 10-meter platform and did crazy things that the producers were afraid of and had to stop her because she was willing to do anything," Puenzo recounts.

"The first time I went to watch a training session, I noticed they put ice on their backs and didn't understand until the first time I jumped and felt the pull on my back. I wanted to portray that level of effort and sacrifice."

*This article has been automatically translated using artificial intelligence