THE BOY WHO HARNESSED THE WIND

2019, 115 minutes, Colour.
Maxwell Simba, Chiwitel Ejiofor, Aissa Maiga, Lily Banda, Joseph Marcell.
Directed by Chiwitel Ejiofor.

This is a story from Malawi, 2001. It is a true story with photos and comments from the central character during the final credits. And, speaking of credits, the story is a credit to William Kamkwamba, the boy who harnessed the wind.

The film also seems to be a labour of love for actor turned director, Chiwitel Ejiofor, very well known for his work on the London stage as well is a range of films from Amistad to 12 Years a Slave. He has written the screenplay as well as directing and has taken on the role of William’s father, a good man, a farmer in Malawi, and bewildered by changes in society, holding to traditions and challenged in time of drought and poverty.

The film was photographed in Malawi, giving it authentic feel, the landscapes, some gentle countryside, some desert and drought locations, fields with crops and tobacco, with corn.

This picture of Malawi society is quite multi-cultural, multi-religious. The central family is Christian and the film opens with a Christian burial with preaching. However, highly-masked and decorated mourners also come to attend and are welcomed, representatives of traditional religions. However, the majority religion in this part of the country is Islam, a Muslim chief, is also buried at the end of the film and the local traditional mourners arriving again.

The focus is on the Kamkwamba family, Trywell the father, Agnes the devoted mother, Annie, an older teenager, into some kind of rebellion and in love with a local teacher, faced with the dilemma of staying at home or going off with the teacher to a safer place, especially as the drought and famine increase. There is also a baby but there is William, the young teenager, eager for education, delighted when his father buys the school uniform, attending class with his friend, Gilbert, the son of the chief.

Education is fairly basic and depends on the principal's demands that fees be paid in advance. Trywell is unable to pay, given the poor wages for the tobacco crop, given the increasing drought and the meagre corn crop. However, he is allowed to work in the library and his intellectual capacities are excited by studies on energy, on pumps and batteries, on the possibility of supplying water from the well in the village for maintaining the crops. He sets up a small windmill to test his theories. He gets his friends to help him build a large windmill and install it. However, he needs some wheels and rotation for the windmill to work and asks his father for his bike.

This brings a striking confrontation between father and son, the father not understanding what his son is able to do, wants him simply to work in the fields to support the family. Ultimately, rebuked by his wife, Trywell gives over the bike – and the windmill is a success, vegetables are planted as a temporary resource, the famine is overcome.

The film is also political in its presentation of a visit by the campaigning president to the village, the fanfare for him, the attending military, a defiant and challenging speech by the chief which leads to him being beaten and, ultimately, to his death. More African political corruption.

This is a film which is interesting in itself, has good performances but also is most worthy in its intentions, portrait of African poverty and famine, the possibility for bettering themselves, an image of achievement for the 21st century.

1. The true story? Malawi? 2001? The people, pool, the role of government? Exploitation?

2. Filmed in Malawi, the village, homes, the school in uniforms, the library, the tobacco crops, the corn, the trees, crops failing, poverty and famine? The stored grain, the trucks? The fruitful feels? The musical score?

3. The focus on the family, the death of the brother, his bequest, Jeremiah his son inheriting the farm? His brother not inheriting? The decision about the trees, the removal, the consequences for the environment? Jon, his hard work, his wife and children? William at school? The baby? Devoted and strong?

4. The issue of crops, the tobacco crops, harvesting, prices? Calling corn, storing? Difficulties, the weather, crop failure, the dry?

5. The background of religion, the traditions, the images of the mourners, the going through the countryside, the character on stilts? Attendance at the funeral? Christianity, the priest, his sermon? The Muslim population of the town, with the chief? The question is receiving the mourners, dialogue between Christianity and traditions? Culture? The local culture, the languages, the English tradition in the British government? The government rallies, corruption, the chief and his speech, outspoken, taken and bashed? The trucks with the corn, the military guard?

6. The theme of education, school, the small staff, the stern principal, librarian, the teacher and his friendship? The issues of payment beforehand? Classes, expulsion? William, his knowing about the teacher’s relationship with his sister, being allowed into the library, his research? His friendship with Gilbert, Gilbert is the son of the Chief?

7. The family unable to pay, William, going to the library, learning about dynamos, the production of electricity, his ideas, creative physics?

8. The portrait of the famine, the men moving about the countryside, threats of rape, stealing corn? The desperation of the ordinary people? The desperation of the family?

9. The character of Annie, in love with the teacher, the meetings, his invitation for her to go, her dilemma, the strangest threats of rape, her mother slapping her? Her going?

10. William, expelled, encouraged by the librarian, the discussions with his friends, their thinking they should move away?

11. William and his inventions, his study, the well and the water, the pump, the boys scavenging in the dumps, the small windmill, testing it out with the radio, the boys helping?

12. William and his father, his father wanting his education, but not understanding it, wanting to work in the fields, slapping him? William’s request for the bike for the windmill? His father’s anger? William loyal?

13. Agnes, devoted to her husband and family? Confronting her husband, telling him that she had lost everything over the years by being with him?

14. The bike, sawing it in pieces, everybody helping, construction of the large windmill?

15. The chief, his death, Gilbert inheriting, the solemn funeral, the official mourners coming again?

16. William and his success, the water, the planting of the vegetables, the growth, fruitful, the village surviving the famine?

17. William and his achievement, the credits and the pictures of William, his words, the information?