Dive on Amazon Prime tells the story of Mariel, a talented swimmer with one last shot at Olympic glory. Aged 15, Mariel won a bronze medal as an Olympic diver, and given her tender age, she was widely touted to win gold. However, injuries and self-sabotage hampered her efforts.
At 31, Mariel has one last chance at achieving her ultimate dream. However, emerging obstacles make her question whether her ambition is worth it. The film’s synopsis reads:
“Mariel is a veteran elite diver who has one last chance at the Olympic Games. However, when a terrible truth comes to light, Mariel faces her biggest personal question: Is winning her true dream?”
It’s unclear whose or which true story inspired Dive
Dive is based on a true story, but it’s unclear which or whose story inspired the film.
Regardless, the film highlights various issues affecting elite-level sports stars – Mariel has a tumultuous personal life and relies on drugs to keep functioning. Furthermore, the film also addresses the abuse of sports prodigies by coaches and doctors.
According to Variety, research on the project found that 71% of athletes in Mexico suffered some kind of abuse or harassment. In 67% of the cases, the trainer was the culprit.
“Our hope is to elevate the complex conversations surrounding the systemic abuse of power in our culture,” Karla Souza, Mariel in the film, said. She added:
“La Caída [Dive] is the most challenging and personal project of my career. I have found true growth and my own power and agency in the telling of this story.”
Director Lucia Puenzo lauded Karla for her dedication to the project – Souza trained for three years to manage to jump from a 10-meter platform. Puenzo said that the content material in the film wasn’t easy to write or shoot. Lucia added:
“We always knew it was flammable material, and today I also know that this film will forever be a fiercely personal project for the group of people who joined the emotional roller coaster that is La Caida.”