Director Sasha Nathwani says London is ‘Inaccesible’ to Gen Z

Filmmaker Sasha Nathwani says London no longer feels like a place where young people can thrive.

Sasha, whose debut feature Last Swim is set in the capital over 24 hours on A-Level results day, said:

“When I was 17 or 18, growing up in London, the city didn’t feel inaccessible.

“It felt accessible, and I didn’t feel like doors were being closed in my face.

“Now I don’t even know how a young person has a 24-hour period of freedom without breaking the bank.”

Released in cinemas on April 4, 2025, Last Swim follows ambitious British-Iranian teen Ziba (Deba Hekmat) and her close friends as they spend a final day of freedom before life pulls them apart.

Filmed during the UK’s 2022 heatwave, it moves through iconic London spots like Portobello Road and Hampstead Heath by car, train and bike.

Sasha said: “The film was developed and made by Millennials, but it’s a Gen Z coming-of-age story.”

He began writing the script with producer Helen Simmons during the pandemic.

Sasha continued: “It’s not a pandemic film but it was developed during that time when young people from all over the world were having the seminal years of their lives taken away.

“When Helen and I were writing it, the world was opening up and closing down, then opening up and closing down again.

“There was this pressure, and I remember seeing young people in the park, and thinking how must it be for them?

“They all live with their parents, they’ve only got one day together, and tomorrow the world’s going to close down again.

“So the question I was trying to pose with the film was, if you had one day to reclaim your youth, what would you do?”

Sasha Nathwani has previously directed music videos and shorts. He said that although Last Swim is being released post-pandemic, life has not improved for young people.

“I felt that the world was fraught when we were making it, when we were writing it, and now it’s going out into the world, there’s an argument that things are even worse now.

“We’re in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis.

“Not only do things cost so much, but there just aren’t opportunities. Education is challenging for lots of different reasons, and some people don’t have access because of the exorbitant costs.

“You see that in the film, as Ziba and her friends are going their separate ways.”

Recent data supports his concerns.

A February 2025 report by The King’s Trust found most 16 to 25-year-olds feel daily anxiety about the future. ONS figures also show around one in seven young people were not in work, education or training at the end of 2024.

Oxford University research from 2023 found young people’s mental health declined sharply during lockdowns, compared to pre-pandemic levels.

Lead actress Deba Hekmat said: “As a generation, there have been things thrown at us, but also taken away.

“That’s true of me, but when I look at my brothers, that’s when my heart really goes out to the young.

“My brothers just turned 18 and 20 years old… they were going through adolescence during Covid… and then for all of that to happen.

“We’re all still regrouping and refiguring ourselves out.”

The cast was encouraged to rework the script to sound more authentic.

Sasha Nathwani explained: “I think whenever you tell a story about young characters, you need to give them a certain amount of flexibility.

“If there was a more natural way of delivering a line in a language that they would more authentically use, we would then write that into the script.

“And they were very good at challenging me as well… if they didn’t feel it rang true of their characters.”

Deba added: “This is Gen Z friendship on screen.

“Sasha says that his [Millennial] generation is the one of hard knocks and they didn’t grow up with the idea that mental health needed to be considered in day-to-day lives.

“I think a great way of seeing how connected this film is to Gen Z is just the friendship that me and the rest of the gang have together.”

“They’re not afraid to ask each other about their feelings and the boys aren’t afraid to open up a bit more. I think it’s really reflective of our friendships in the way that we are able to speak to each other.”

Sasha Nathwani hopes the film resonates with young viewers, especially those preparing for their next chapter.

“The bond that you have with your friends from school will never be closer, tighter than it is during that summer.

“And the moment that summer ends, those bonds tend to break because people go in different directions.

“And just in the context of what’s happening in the UK, but across the world too, I think that’s really challenging for young people, more so than I think we envision.”