The Walking Dead s Andrew Lincoln, explores the tumultuous journey many disabled people take to embracing their disability. And, yet again, filmmakers have effectively erased disabled people from the narrative. Penguin Bloom tells the story of Sam Bloom, who becomes a paralysed wheelchair user after a fall. Alongside her husband and children, she takes solace in caring for an injured magpie, which the children name Penguin.
The film, based on a true story written by Cameron Bloom and Bradley Trevor Greive, could have spotlighted the real tragedy, beauty and love present throughout the journey of embracing a disability. However, Naomi Watts stars as Sam, yet another non-disabled actor stealing a role from a disabled actor, joining countless others in prioritising the casting of big-name actors over authenticity.
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Naomi Watts knew all about the angry side of magpies from when she was swooped while horse riding through a forest near Canberra many years ago. Obviously there was nesting going and a bunch of magpies just came down and bombed us, she says. It was kind of terrifying.
Naomi Watts and a magpie co-star in Penguin Bloom meet Sam Bloom on the set (aka Sam s house).
Credit:Cameron Bloom
Her boyfriend of the time knew they should swing their arms around as they rode to scare away the marauding birds and all ended well. But Watts was still unprepared for another run-in with a magpie making Australian film