English Channel latter part of the 19th century when Captain Matthew Webb made the first observed and unassisted swim across the Strait of Dover, swimming from England to France on 24–25 August 1875 in 21 hours 45 minutes. In 1927, at a time when fewer than ten swimmers (including the first woman, Gertrude Ederle in 1926) had managed to emulate the feat and many dubious claims were being made, the Channel Swimming Association (CSA) was founded to authenticate and ratify swimmers' claims to have swum the Channel and to verify crossing times. The CSA was dissolved in 1999 and was succeeded by
The Man Who Fell to Earth premiered at BFI Southbank before being released in cinemas across the UK on 9 September of that year. Since its original 1976 release, "The Man Who Fell to Earth" has achieved cult status. On film review site Rotten Tomatoes, the film has achieved an 82% rating based on 52 reviews, the critical consensus stating: "Filled with stunning imagery, "The Man Who Fell to Earth" is a calm, meditative film that profoundly explores our culture's values and desires." Metacritic reports an 81 out of 100 rating based on 9 critics, indicating "universal acclaim". It was entered into the 26th Berlin International