Film

The Home For Broken Toys

Every weekend through the winter, a group of middle-aged men, who dub themselves the East German Ladies Swimming Team, plunge into the freezing waters of a pond in central London.
 

About

Director

Holly Butcher

Producer

Holly Butcher

Running time

24 minutes

Country / Nationality

United Kingdom

Our Judges say:

Hilarious film about the East German Olympic swimming team. 👙 Must watch

Ed Birch Director of Salt-Street productions

Cold - very cold - water swimming, by amusing codgers old and young. A slow burner but there's more going on here than you first realise.

Paul Hodgson Music Judge

An intimate short film exploring masculinity, trauma healing and idiosyncratic group dynamics.

Claire Carter Writer, Film Officer for Kendal Mountain Festival, 'Creative Consultant'.

Every weekend through the winter, a group of middle-aged men, who dub themselves the East German Ladies Swimming Team, plunge into the freezing waters of a pond in central London. 'The Home for Broken Toys' follows the team through one season to explore their motivations for braving the extreme cold each week, a decision which seems alien to the filmmaker. The reasons she discovers are by turns comedic, poignant, and profound.