SUNDANCE 2019: THE BOY WHO HARNESSED THE WIND

THE BOY WHO HARNESSED THE WIND is in the grand tradition of great feel-good movies. An inspirational true story about throwing caution to the wind…Literally. Truth be told, this movie is about a lot more than that. It’s about family, hope, hard work, tradition, perseverance, and doing all that you can to provide for the ones you love, even if it means taking risks.

Based on the book of the same name, THE BOY WHO HARNESSED THE WIND tells the story of young William Kamkwamba (Maxwell Simba), a child growing up in an impoverished Malawi village who, thanks in part to natural smarts and a brief stint at a school his flawed and conflicted but loving father Trywell (Chiwetel Ejiofor) couldn’t really afford to pay the tuition for, comes up with a plan that could save his village’s livelihood.

THE BOY WHO HARNESSED THE WIND marks the directorial debut of co-star Ejiofor, an accomplished (and wonderfully humble) actor, who has been so good for so long, it’s quite baffling that he’s not mentioned more often when we talk about the greats. He makes a sincere directorial debut bringing richness, complexity, and heart to both his performance and his direction, and he effectively displays the undeniable desperation of the Kamkwamba family’s most dire situation.

An equally powerful Simba carries this film on his young shoulders by way of a performance that is as touching and emotional as it is inspirational and heartfelt. A moment when William pleads with his father to allow him an opportunity to bring his potential village-saving invention to fruition, positively breaks the heart.  Together, Ejiofor and Simba make for one hell of an emotional father/son dynamic, learning a great deal from one another when it matters most.

Rounding out a very strong supporting cast is a wonderful Aïssa Maïga as William’s loving mother, Agnes and a terrific Lily Banda as Annie, a woman whose left with the daunting choice of staying with her family in a dying village or leaving them behind and making a fresh start. Both of these women bring a ton of heart to the proceedings and engage in one of the film’s more emotionally charged moments.

While THE BOY WHO HARNESSED THE WIND doesn’t shy away from edgier moments, Ejiofor is wisely restrained in his approach making for a film that is fittingly accessible for all audiences. There is just so much power in this picture, and most of it comes from the character interactions. As presented in this movie, the Kamkwamba family certainly had their challenges and while those challenges brought plenty of conflict–honestly, though, what family dynamic isn’t tested by conflict, particularly when in a virtually helpless situation– they were ultimately brought closer together by their ordeal.

THE BOY WHO HARNESSED THE WIND is quite simply a beautiful testament to the human spirit and while there is certainly heartache and sadness to be found here, this movie is also filled with the kind of  joy, optimism, and positive messages we could all use a little more of right now. And honestly, as much as I enjoyed this film as a whole, the final 30 minutes just about wrecked me in all the right ways. Moving and inspirational to say the least.

As a bonus, Sundance audiences were treated to a Q & A with Ejiofor, other members of the cast and crew, and special guest, Kamkwamba. Talk about an already inspirational screening being elevated to the highest level! Even without that extra perk, though, THE BOY WHO HARNESSED THE WIND stands on its own as a stirring experience. This heartfelt movie drops on Netflix on March 1, 2019, and I highly recommend it.