Dream, Believe, Achieve (Southern Cross Catholic College, Australia, 2023) explores themes of achievement, determination and inclusion, with a focus on congenital disability and Down Syndrome. Warm and direct in tone, the short reflects on dreams, goals and the everyday supports that help young people realise their potential. It sits naturally within the Focus on Ability International Short Film Festival, which showcases the abilities, experiences and achievements of people with disability. Accessible and thoughtful, the film invites audiences — teachers, families and festival-goers alike — to consider how schools and communities can nurture motivation and belonging without sentimentality.
It's hard to think of only three words for Olivia, but I would say Olivia is creative. She is fun and she is determined. Olivia has inspired me just in so many ways. So when I first met Olivia she was 15 in grade 10 drama class and she inspired me then. She also did theatre sports and just her energy in class, her hilarious ideas for improvisation, always cracking people up. I mean she's a real entertainer, she's got a real drive to make people laugh, to engage with people, but also on a serious note there are some challenges in life that Olivia's faced. I think in grade 10 you had surgery on your knees and that was, you know, it was tricky getting all the way across to the drama room, it was tricky getting here to school because you would walk to school, you know, and I've seen the kind of determination that she had at that time to push through those physical challenges. And I know in life people have sort of wanted to say no you can't do certain things or things wouldn't be possible for you and I think Olivia, what I've seen is you just going up and doing things, like smashing through any sort of walls that were put up and going no, if I want to do something I'm going to do something and I've seen Olivia do that in the years that I've known her time and time again and I think it's just, it's so wonderful, it's very inspiring to me. Olivia, how has the connection you have with Mrs. Sajakami helped you in the real world? Well the connection has been just incredible. The moment I met her she seemed so happy and bubbly and just an amazing person and I remember doing theatre sports with her and we would have so much fun, I'd come up with these crazy ideas, but seriously, she has been one of the biggest rocks. She's absolutely amazing. It's beautiful, thank you. How did it feel to speak at the UN in 2017 on World Down Syndrome Day? Absolutely incredible. The experience that I had was amazing. I actually had an incredible experience. I got to go on a behind the scenes tour of the UN, which was incredible. The day of my presentation, when I was speaking, I couldn't have imagined anything else in the world but speaking in front of another nation. It was one of my dreams come true. What does your campaign Change the Box mean to you? My campaign Change the Box really means a lot. What I wanted to do was create a space in the Paralympics for Down Syndrome and now it's just been taken on. It's been absolutely incredible. Change the Box has really changed my life. It's been incredible. I love being on TV. Well, being on TV, that was when I found my boyfriend Zach. I was involved on the TV show Better Date Than Never, from the makers of Love on the Spectrum. It was absolutely incredible. A person with Down Syndrome doesn't mean I can go forward with my dreams and achieve them. Don't ever doubt your ability because you are incredible in your own way. I think everyone should have a person with Down Syndrome or a person with another ability in their life because they just really make your day. I just absolutely love that.
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