Exploring the World of Down Syndrome through the Lens of “Mighty Penguins”
“Mighty Penguins” is a documentary film that takes viewers into the world of children with Down syndrome and the challenges they face. The film follows the Brentford Penguins, a football team in West London for children with Down syndrome, as they prepare for their moment in the spotlight at an English Premier League match. The team is tasked with being guard of honor for Brentford versus Leicester at the G-Tech Community Stadium. Although seen as a small gesture of goodwill by many, the moment means so much more for the Penguins. It represents a flourishing community being welcomed into wider society.
The film is co-directed and co-produced by It Was All a Dream Productions and Louis Myles, a British-Irish filmmaker from Fever Media. “Mighty Penguins” is part of a series produced by John Skipper’s Meadowlark Media and Firelight Media, titled “Sports Explains the World.” The film challenges preconceptions of Down syndrome and shows how beautiful each of the children truly are.
The Brentford Penguins soccer team for children with Down syndrome was created by Allan Cockram, a former professional footballer for Brentford Football Club. Allan struggled after retiring from the sport and found himself working as a taxi driver and searching for a purpose. It was only until Phil, a young child with Down syndrome, became a regular pick-up for Allan did he find inspiration once again. The brutal honesty of Phil and pure love toward others moved Allan, and they often found themselves playing football in the park. But Phil sadly passed away, still a high school teenager, affecting Allan deeply. However, it was this heart-breaking death that motivated the birth of the Brentford Penguins.
The team meets every Sunday morning, come rain or shine for training sessions at Gunnersbury Park, London. What the film shows is that this is no ordinary football team, but more a family. You are taken to see these weekly training sessions through a cinema verite-style lens, as well as an intimate look into the lives of three of the children, Special K, Captain Charlie and Peanut.
The film follows the team as they prepare for their moment in the spotlight at an English Premier League match. They are tasked with being guard of honor for Brentford versus Leicester at the G-Tech Community Stadium. Although seen as a small gesture of goodwill by many, the moment means so much more for the Penguins. It represents a flourishing community being welcomed into wider society.
Despite being made up of players who are sometimes not included in mainstream events, the team discovers a community built around football for itself. Led by Allan, who we discover has had to struggle with his own demons but thrives as a Pied Piper character to the Penguins, the team together build their own support system as they show how football transcends mere entertainment.
Underpinning the film is the importance of community and the battle against loneliness. This is what drives the narrative as those portrayed search for their own acceptance in life before eventually finding it.
Expectant parents often fear that their children could be born with Down syndrome, but Mighty Penguins shows how beautiful each of the children truly are. The crew fell in love with all the participants and the journey of getting to know the Brentford Penguins has been an emotional journey filled with laughs and tears, just as the film reflects. We will forever be part of the Penguin family.
There have been plenty of stories that show how sport can impact wider society. The Iraqi men’s 2007 Asia Cup football victory managed to put a pause on the civil war ravaging the country, for example. Qatar’s hosting of the 2022 World Cup helping quash Islamophobia across the globe, is another. The Brentford Penguins really have managed to shape their own story too.
The film is truly a must-watch. It gives viewers a glimpse into the world of Down syndrome and what we find is one filled with passion, love and emotional intelligence, but also complicated by hardships and prejudice. By taking viewers into the world through the lens of a child with Down syndrome, “Mighty Penguins” allows them to explore life free of the prejudices that come with adulthood. The film is filled with laughs and tears as the emotional human story is told.
In conclusion, “Mighty Penguins” is a documentary film that challenges preconceptions of Down syndrome and shows how beautiful each of the children truly are. The Brentford Penguins soccer team for children with Down syndrome was created by Allan Cockram, a former professional footballer for Brentford Football Club. The film follows the team as they prepare for their moment in the spotlight at an English Premier League match. Despite being made up of players who are sometimes not included in mainstream events, the team discovers a community built around football for itself. The film is truly a must-watch as it gives viewers a glimpse into the world of Down syndrome and what we find is one filled with passion, love and emotional intelligence, but also complicated by hardships and prejudice.