‘Agatha Swims the English Riviera’

A new short film explores the English Riviera’s most famous author and her passion for swimming in our naturally inspiring environment

As part of our Culture Recovery Fund work, Torbay Culture commissioned new short films looking at local heritage from different perspectives. The first of these celebrates Agatha Christie's passion for swimming and the natural environment. It explores some of her favourite swimming places - Anstey’s cove, Beacon cove, Meadfoot beach and Elberry cove - and at Greenway, her summer home now in the care of the National Trust.

This literary, visual, and natural heritage link to the English Riviera - designated by UNESCO as a Global Geopark - has been created by a team of local talent: Karen Marshall worked with local filmmakers Amanda Bluglass and Danny Cooke, author and wild swimmer Matt Newbury, and swimmer Morwenna Graziano. The voice artist is Alice Bailey, editor Jake Cauty, and runner Rosie Thompson.

The film’s premiere on 16 September 2021 at Torre Abbey as part of the International Agatha Christie Festival was a sell out, so a few additional places were released by the festival. Click here to see if any places remain for Swimming Through Literature with Karen and Matt.

Viewers will be able to enjoy the film on our YouTube Channel - link below - which will go live following the 16 September premiere. ‘Agatha Swims’ has also been entered into the 7th English Riviera Film Festival during November.

‘Agatha Swims the English Riviera’ (Torbay Culture, 2021)

Dame Agatha Christie (1890-1976)

Born in Torquay, Agatha Christie lived in the bay for many years, retaining a holiday home at Greenway near Galmpton. Her novels have been translated into more than 100 languages, and over two billion volumes have been sold. Hundreds of film and television adaptations of Christie’s stories have been produced. As an indicator of the author’s enduring popularity, The Mousetrap, nearly 70 years old, was chosen as one of the first productions to reopen the West End following the easing of lockdown restrictions.

The Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage was managed by the National Lottery Heritage Fund on behalf of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS)

Thanks to: The Christie Archive Trust, Agatha Christie Limited, HarperCollins, National Trust: Greenway

Additional words and images: © The Francis Frith Collection, The Box Plymouth, Torre Abbey

Extracts from The ABC Murders © 1936 Agatha Christie Limited, extracts from An Autobiography of Agatha Christie © 1975 Agatha Christie Limited. All rights reserved

Image: from Agatha Swims (Torbay Culture/Karen Marshall) featuring Morwenna Graziano at Anstey’s cove