Homegrown and Olympic-bound Poppy Starr Olsen is set to appear on the big screen this weekend, thanks to the release of Tall Poppy: A Skater’s Story.
The movie premiere will take place at Event Cinemas Kotara on Sunday 27 June.
The new feature documentary is scheduled to screen at 4pm, with the red carpet and doors opening from 3.15pm.
Afterwards, Poppy will join in, via Zoom, from her Olympic training centre in San Diego.
“City of Newcastle is proud to support the event, which profiles a remarkable local skater, Poppy Starr Olsen,” said Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes, who’ll officially open proceedings.
“We have worked closely with Poppy and our local skate community in the development of new skate infrastructure in Newcastle and know how passionate she is about her sport.
“She has shown grit and determination to get where she is today and we’re confident she has what it takes to succeed at the highest level.
“We wish her all the best in her ongoing campaign to compete at this year’s Tokyo Olympics and hope this film inspires a new generation of skaters across the country.”
Poppy, at age 16, was the first Australian female skateboarder to be invited to compete in the X Games.
Now, officially ranked fourth in the world, the Novocastrian will break another record in a couple of months.
She’ll be the only female to represent Australia in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics in park skateboarding on 3 August.
A coming-of-age story told over 12 years, Tall Poppy: A Skater’s Story documents Poppy’s journey intimately as she navigates the uncomfortable idea of what it means to be a competitive athlete, the complexities of a relationship with a mum-turned-manager and finding her place in a male-dominated industry.
As she finds herself on track to compete in the Tokyo Olympics, the COVID-19 pandemic hits and sets to derail her best laid plans.
“It’s a little weird but I hope it helps others know that they’re not alone and it’s not always as easy as it looks on the outside,” Poppy said on having her life documented.
The film has also been supported by the City of Newcastle who are a production partner.
The movie allows the city to showcase the attractions it offers visitors to a national and international audience and the investment they have made into local skate parks, which has resulted in one of their very own Novocastrians being selected to represent Australia in the sport at Tokyo.
It will be rolled out nationally to more than 30 cinemas across all states, too, with a special simultaneous Q&A with Poppy herself planned for Saturday 3 July at 3pm.
Tickets to the premiere are available at https://madmanfilms.com.au/tall-poppy/
For more news stories:
