There’s flooding in Mozambique, and when the rains finally come in Malawi, they come heavy. The farmers have been struggling for years, unable to cope after the big tobacco farms went elsewhere. The wealthy estates take advantage, offering a lump sum in exchange for the lumber on their lands. Cash-strapped, many are tempted, but the village chief warns that these trees are they only resource they have to protect from serious flooding.
William (Maxwell Simba) must drop out of school when his family’s money runs out. The harvest is poorer than anyone predicted; his father Trywell (Chiwetel Ejiofor) manages less than 70 ears of corn, and that’s all the family will have for the entire dry season. The government denies a food shortage but hunger makes people do bad things. Whole villages are starving.
William thinks he can generate power by building a windmill that would operate a water pump, extending the growing season, but to do so he’d need to sacrifice the family’s only possession, a bicycle. Trywell refuses. You might guess from the title that William will prevail. And if a movie is willing to spoil itself right in the title, then you know it’s about the journey, not the destination.
The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind is about hunger. Not just an empty belly, but a need for something, a strong desire. And that kind of hunger can be very motivating. But a child surpassing his parent is hard on both.
Chiwetel Ejiofor directs himself in the film; he bought the rights to the book after reading it and set to learning Chichewa, the Malawi dialect spoken in the film. He shot it on location in Malawi, helping to bring authenticity and context to a true story. Farming is getting harder for everyone, everywhere. Global warming makes weather unpredictable, too wet, too dry. In Africa, where so many have so little, there is little margin of error. A thirteen year old boy saved his village from famine by cobbling together a wind generator built out of garbage. He was self-taught from books he wasn’t technically allowed to read, not having paid his school fees. He makes it look easy, but for him, it was simply and urgently necessary. This impressing directorial debut from Ejiofor communicates both the hope and the despair, but above all, ingenuity.
ASSHOLES WATCHING MOVIES 
I loved this movie. Reminds us of how fortunate we are.
Sent from my iPad
>
LikeLike
I saw this movie some time ago and enjoyed it immensely. Persistence against all odds. Belief in ourselves. One person can make a difference. So many lessons to learn.
LikeLike
I’ll look for this one. Cheers Jay.
LikeLike
I really like Ejiofer. I remember saying I was going to watch this when it first came out, then never getting around to it. I’ll have to change that.
LikeLike
This was a great story well told. Simple, but effective filmmaking. Nice review as usual.
LikeLike
I’ll be sure to check this one out!
LikeLike
It’s good true stories like this get a wider audience.
LikeLike
It’s a great film from so many angles. Your review captured all of them – it made me want to see it again. Cheers Jay
LikeLike
I loved this movie. I’d read the book, so picked up the movie, but so often they ruin a story like this when they make the film. Not this time. Excellent all around.
LikeLike
They watched this in my son’s school, but the teacher skipped all the scary bits. He told us about it and we watched it at home (scary bits included) and I was totally blown away. What a well done movie!
LikeLike
I’ve read the book, and now I’m massively overthinking watching the film in case it runs it. This is helpful, thanks
LikeLike
You sold me on watching the movie. It sounds likes something I would like to watch. Thanks.
LikeLike