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It surprised me. After a long time (during which Hollywood has repeatedly disappointed me), Poppy, a small-budget film from New Zealand surprised me in a good way.
I was fortunate enough to be at its premiere at the MINDS Film Festival (MFF) 2024 on Friday, 13 Sep among a crowd of 300. The Guest of Honour at MFF 2024 was Ms Jane Ittogi, First Lady of Singapore.
This could have been a predictably mellow review of the movie. Sure, it’s uplifting, inclusive and positive, ticking all the “right message” boxes. I was prepared for that. What I wasn’t ready for was Libby Hunsdale who plays the title character to do it so convincingly, so well.
There is no need for me to give the film bonus points for being about a girl with Down’s Syndrome playing a girl with Down’s Syndrome. It’s simply a story about a girl being at a certain age coming up against the restrictions the world has put on her. Poppy doesn’t react like a girl with Down’s Syndrome; she reacts like a girl.
There is the rebellion, the resistance, the yelling and the sneaking about, all told in a natural, easily believable way. Naturally, the plot revolves around the unique challenges faced by persons with intellectual disabilities, but it’s fleshed out so well with other characters and parallel subplots that it never feels forced.
Libby Hunsdale is a gem of an actress. We hear the line that disabilities don’t preclude you from work but I have to (embarrassingly) admit that I was surprised to see how truly that fact plays out in real life. Much credit to the director and writers who conveyed the idea without with oversentimental browbeating.
If the mission of MINDS is to challenge us to rethink our preconceived notions, it’s mission accomplished.
Poppy is one of 7 films from around the world being screened at MFF 2024. The festival runs at Shaw Theatres from 14 to 22 Sep 2024. For locations, screening times and tickets, please click here.
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