Penguin Bloom: Stars walk the red carpet for Australian premiere

It was a bittersweet moment for Sydney mum Sam Bloom - who was the inspiration behind new film Penguin Bloom - as she made her way up the red carpet for the Australian premiere.

It was a bitter sweet moment for Sydney mum Sam Bloom as she made her way up the red carpet for the Australian premiere of Penguin Bloom.

The mother of three was the inspiration for the movie, based on her recovery from a 2013 accident in Thailand that rendered her paraplegic.

Penguin is the name of the magpie chick the family adopted at a time Bloom had almost lost the will to live.

The Bloom family including Samantha and Cam Bloom with their sons Noah, Reuben and Oli. Picture: Toby Zerna

“We are so proud of our film Penguin Bloom,” Bloom told Confidential. “Penguin was there for me when I needed her most and now, thanks to this beautiful film she will continue to be a symbol of hope, determination and love.”

Bloom was joined by photographer husband, Cameron, and their three sons, Ollie, 15, Noah, 17, and Reuben, 19.

It was Cameron Bloom that teamed up with author Bradley Trevor Greive on the book Penguin Bloom that has been a global hit, translated into more than 13 different languages.

“When this unexpected journey began, the goal was to tell our story with absolute honesty, no matter how much it hurt, but also to share the love and laughter that makes us who we are and keeps us going through the dark times,” Cameron said.

Charlotte Best on the red carpet. Picture: Toby Zerna

Lisa Wilkinson on the red carpet. Picture: Toby Zerna

Abe Clifford-Barr who plays Oli Bloom in the movie. Picture: Toby Zerna

Producer Bruna Papandrea on the red carpet. Picture: Toby Zerna

“And, just as Bradley Trevor Greive did so beautifully with the original book, Penguin Bloom, these gifted filmmakers have created a movie that honours our true story, for which we are profoundly grateful.”

Naomi Watts plays Sam Bloom in the film, while Andrew Lincoln is Cameron. Both are overseas and could not attend due to coronavirus.

A raft of familiar faces did however make the red carpet at the Westpac OpenAir cinema at Mrs Macquarie’s Chair ahead of Thursday’s national cinematic release.

Jodi Matterson, Steve Hutensky, Bruna Papandrea and Emma Cooper on the red carpet. Picture: Toby Zerna

Silvia Colloca on the red carpet. Picture: Toby Zerna

Francesca Hung on the red carpet. Picture: Toby Zerna

Damon Herriman on the red carpet. Picture: Toby Zerna

Director Glendyn Ivin. Picture: Toby Zerna

“I’m incredibly grateful that Penguin had the ability to encourage mum to overcome her hardships and struggles,” Reuben Bloom said.

"She represents the beautiful connection and healing power nature provides all of us. We all have our unique struggles and pain that is sometimes too much to bare. Luckily for mum, her little angel just happened to be a cheeky injured baby magpie.”

Layne Beachley. Picture: Toby Zerna

Author Liane Moriarty. Picture: Toby Zerna

Writer Harry Cripps and producer Emma Cooper. Picture: Toby Zerna

Noah Bloom added: “I think it’s a wonderful way for mum to spread awareness of what it’s like to live with a spinal cord injury, hopefully leading the way for others to heal who are going through a similar journey. As a lover of film and from an artistic standpoint, the opportunity to witness the filmmaking process in our own house was surreal and unforgettable.”

Penguin Bloom was directed by Glyndin Ivin and produced by Bruna Papandrea and Emma Cooper.

It also stars Jacki Weaver, Leaeanna Walsman, Lisa Hensley, Rachel House, Griffin Murray-Johnston, Felix Cameron and Abe Clifford-Barr.

Naomi Watts: ‘It doesn’t feel great not being home’

Naomi Watts said she was heartbroken to not be able to travel home to celebrate the Australian premiere of Penguin Bloom.

Shot in Sydney’s northern beaches, Watts spent several months making the movie about mother-of-three Sam Bloom, who was rendered paraplegic in a 2013 fall.

“It doesn’t feel great to not be there and share the experience with all of those people and the Blooms of course as well,” Watts told Confidential ahead of Tuesday’s premiere at the Westpac OpenAir cinema.

Naomi Watts shooting Penguin Bloom in Sydney.

Penguin Bloom is based on the best selling book of the same name from Bloom’s photographer husband, Cameron, and author Bradley Trevor Greive.

It is an extraordinary movie that tells Sam’s story of life after the six-metre fall on a family holiday in Thailand.

With Watts playing Sam and Andrew Lincoln as Cam, the film will open in cinemas nationally on Thursday.

Penguin is name of a magpie the couple and their three sons took in after it fell from its nest and lived with them for two years. Looking after the bird gave Sam a purpose at a time that she had almost lost the will to live.

A still from the film Penguin Bloom.

Naomi Watts with Sydney mum Sam Bloom, on whom the movie Penguin Bloom is based.

“That is what was important for us as the storytellers to show the depth of that darkness because of what she lost and how she was finding it difficult to live,” Watts explained.

“And to really go there and examine that, not just have it be a glossed over story of her being ‘oh great, now she is a kayaker, everything is great’. Still to this day, yes she has powered through in her way but she would much rather not have a book written about her and a movie made about her and have her legs move in the way they used to. But she has found a way. She has managed to shift her thinking to a more manageable place but it took a lot of effort and a lot of time.”

Cameron Bloom, Andrew Lincoln, Sam Bloom and Naomi Watts on the set of Penguin Bloom.

Mother of two Watts said she learnt a greater appreciation of her own life through making the film.

“To be present, to be in the moment and be grateful for what we have,” she said.

“Especially now, we have gone through the most bizarre year feeling completely disconnected from everybody.

“It has been a tough year. Just to know and appreciate what you have.”