Deepra Sarkar
‘Penguin Bloom’ is a family drama based on a book of the same name written by Cameron Bloom and Bradley Trevor Greive. The film, directed by Glendyn Ivin, has Naomi Watts and Andrew Lincoln in the leading roles as Cameron and his wife, Sam Bloom. The film is based on a family from Sydney that seeks slivers of hope and solace while caring for a wounded Magpie baby as the wife attempts to adjust to her semi-paralysis after a fall. The beautifully written script of the film is accompanied by applause-worthy performances from the actors and the picturesque backgrounds of Australian beaches and landscapes. In case you were wondering where these spectacular places used in the film are located, we have got you covered.
Penguin Bloom Filming Locations
After the rights to the book were obtained in 2016, Naomi Watts was confirmed as a part of the cast. The filming for the movie began in the first week of August 2019. Over the next few weeks, the cast and crew traveled along the remarkable Northern Beaches to shoot the film. Thailand also makes an appearance. Let’s delve right into the details of these locations.
Sydney, Australia
A major portion of the film was shot within the actual residence of the Bloom family at Newport, a suburb in northern Sydney which borders the region of the Northern Beaches. The story unravels with the Bloom family caring for and loving the injured bird till Sam finds new meaning in her life through the bird. Sam Bloom has posted several pictures of her with Naomi Watts inside the Bloom residence taken during the shooting of the film on her personal Instagram.
Among the several locations used for the film, Palm Beach features prominently throughout. After all, the Sydney suburb is situated on a peninsula and was also used to portray the fictional town of Summer Bay in the soap opera ‘Home and Away.’ The place is known to attract many artistic minds and give rise to several inspirations. Palm Beach also has two films by the name of the location. One released in 1980, whereas the next one followed after a few decades in 2019.
Another location in Sydney featured within the movie was Avalon Beach. The place was referred to as Avalon till 2012 and is part of the Northern Beaches. From Sam’s Instagram posts, the crew seems to have also shot a few scenes of the film at Bilgola Beach, where Sam said she had spent a defining part of her childhood.
Phuket, Thailand
The pivotal scene of Sam’s accident while on a trip that later leads to her paralysis was shot on the island of Phuket in Thailand. The island, blanketed by rainforests, is one of the most popular beaches of Thailand, dotted with several luxurious resorts. It is rather unfortunate that such a devastating incident occurs at such a beautiful location.
Read More: Is Penguin Bloom a True Story?
