Directed by:
Chiwetel EjioforScreenplay:
Chiwetel EjioforCinematography:
Dick PopeComposer:
Antonio PintoCast:
Chiwetel Ejiofor, Maxwell Simba, Noma Dumezweni, Joseph Marcell, Aïssa Maïga, Lemogang Tsipa, Robert Agengo, Melvin AlusaVOD (1)
Plots(1)
Young William Kamkwamba lives with his family in rural Malawi, where he attends school regularly and shows great aptitude for his studies. Yet after land development and poor weather lead to a meager harvest, famine strikes the village, alarming the community and forcing William to drop out of school when his father (Chiwetel Ejiofor) can no longer afford the fees. Determined to find a way out of the life-threatening situation his family is facing, William sneaks into the school library to research - and soon conspires to build a windmill pump to irrigate the land. Caught between his father’s close-minded skepticism and the difficulty of creating a machine out of bicycle parts and scrap materials, William races against the clock to fight for his community’s survival. (Sundance Film Festival)
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Reviews (2)
The premise is estimated to be about 45 minutes of film material and the 113-minute running time is quite noticeable in some passages, but it is good for Chiwetel Ejiofor's directorial debut. The compelling story of a boy who manages to save the life of his family and village with a clever invention is filmed simply, with a few key and clearly delineated characters and their interactions and connections with each other, plus the misunderstanding of his father, the corruption of the government and the hard life in a poor country in the middle of Africa - as a necessary peppering of the plot. All the key points are sketched out decently and the narrative value is worthwhile, even if the film doesn't usually go completely in depth and rather just skims the surface and focuses primarily on one level.
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For Chiwetel Ejiofor's directorial debut, this is a pretty solid effort. You can tell the story might have originally been short enough for a novella, but the film isn't just about a boy who harnesses the wind—it's also a glimpse into life in Malawi, including its political landscape. Even though the pacing is slow at times, it actually works in the film's favor. It says more about life in this African country than some documentaries do. Overall, a great piece of work.
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