THE WHEELS OF WONDER
2019 | 69 min | AUSTRALIA
Directed by: Roger Ungers
World Premiere

Followed by Q & A with Director Roger Ungers and guests

The Wheels of Wonder  follows a team of ambitious social impact creators as they enter Lebanon’s capital, Beirut, with a curious project. Their mission: to trial and test an unusual prototype play cart with the hope of improving the lives of refugee children through “loose parts” play.

The project is led by Marcus Veerman, founder and CEO of Playground Ideas, a not-for-profit providing open-source playground building resources which benefit children all over the world. Veerman’s passionate and skilled team includes a Product Designer, Play Specialist and Technical Lead. Despite plenty of planning, the group face numerous challenges whilst constructing and trialling a material-based prototype in a country which is currently home to an estimated 1.5 million Syrian refugees.

This thoughtfully told story highlights the importance of play, which is said to be as crucial to a child’s brain development as food and sleep. The film shines a light on the immense challenges facing those who have been forcibly displaced, but transcends politics with uplifting moments of strength and resilience in the face of adversity.

**This film has been exempt from classification and has no age restrictions

SPEAKERS
ROGER UNGERS 470X470

Roger Ungers
Independent Filmmaker
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MARCUS VEERMAN 470×470

Marcus Veerman
Founder and CEO of PlaygroundIDEAS.org
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KIM LY NGUYEN 470X470

Kim Ly Nguyen
First Gens 2.0 Program Coordinator at ygap
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DILETTA LEGOWO 470X470

Diletta Legowo
Partnerships & Marketing Coordinator at SPARK Deakin
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