Watch Nadia, Butterfly

Nadia, Butterfly is a Canadian sports drama film that was released in 2020. It was directed and co-written by Pascal Plante. The film won the Special Jury Prize at the 2020 Cannes Film Festival. The movie stars Canadian Olympic swimmer Katherine Savard as Nadia, a swimmer who has decided to retire from competitive sports at the end of the Tokyo Olympics.

The story follows Nadia and her team's journey to the Tokyo Olympics. Nadia has been training for this moment since a young age and has dedicated her life to swimming. As the Olympics come closer, Nadia starts to feel the pressure of performing well, the stress of the competition, and the uncertainty of her future after retirement. Nadia must overcome these obstacles to achieve her dreams.

The movie is an exploration of the struggles and sacrifices of high-performance sports athletes. It is a character study of a young woman who has dedicated her life to swimming, but who is now trying to figure out who she is without it. It addresses issues of mental health, identity, and the significance of sports in one's life.

At the beginning of the movie, we see Nadia training with her teammates, Marie-Pier (Ariane Mainville) and Jess (Hilary Caldwell). The three of them are close friends, and they support each other through the hardships of being a professional swimmer. As they get ready for the competition, they have to deal with the pressures of their sport, the media, and their personal lives.

The film takes us through the daily routines of the swimmers, from morning workouts to press conferences and social events. While the movie revolves around Nadia, we also get insights into the lives of Marie-Pier and Jess, who are also trying to find their place in the world after the Olympics.

The movie uses flashbacks to give us an insight into Nadia's childhood, her relationship with her mother, and the sacrifices she had to make to become a successful swimmer. We see Nadia's coach pushing her to her limits, and her struggle with injuries.

The film is well-paced, and the swimming sequences are shot brilliantly, capturing the grace and power of the swimmers. The movie has a muted color palette, which adds to the realistic and subtle feel of the movie. The score by Jesse Zubot is haunting and reflects the mood of the movie.

Overall, Nadia, Butterfly is a captivating and insightful movie that explores the life of high-performance athletes and the struggles they face. Katherine Savard's performance as Nadia is remarkable, and she brings depth and nuance to her character. The movie is a must-watch for anyone interested in sports, mental health, and personal growth. It is a poignant and thought-provoking film that will stay with you long after the credits roll.

Nadia, Butterfly is a 2022 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 47 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.7 and a MetaScore of 69.