Awards Boost for Videovision Entertainment's "The First Grader"

Oliver Litondo - Best Actor
Black Film Critics Circle

Oliver Litondo (Maruge)
(Photo : Kerry Brown)Oliver Litondo who plays the tenacious, 83-year-old Maruge in the award-winning movie, The First Grader, which is co-produced by Videovision Entertainment, won the Best Actor Award from the Black Film Critics Circle it was announced last night. Founded in 2010, the Black Film Critics Circle is comprised of film critics of colour who write for daily newspapers, weekly newspapers, magazines, radio, television and qualifying on-line publications in the United States.

The film has also received recognition last night with the song “Keep On Walking” from The First Grader being short-listed by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences for the Original Song category of the 84th Academy Awards. Nominations will be announced on Tuesday, 24 January 2012. The song was composed by Alex Heffes who won the Discovery of the Year prize for his work on The First Grader at the 2011 World Soundtrack Awards at the 38th Ghent International Film Festival in October.

Executive Producer, Anant Singh commented, “Oliver’s performance in The First Grader was really powerful and the Best Actor Award from the Black Film Critics Circle is well deserved. Music Composer, Alex Heffes is an amazing musical talent whose work in the film was outstanding. We are thrilled with the accolades that The First Grader continues to receive and we hope that the film continues this success at the Oscars.”

The First Grader, based on a true story, is set in a remote primary school in the Kenyan bush where hundreds of children are jostling for a chance for the free education promised by the new Kenyan government. One new applicant causes astonishment when he knocks on the door of the school. He is Maruge, an old Mau Mau veteran in his eighties, who is desperate to learn to read at this late stage of his life. He fought for the liberation of his country and now feels he must have the chance of an education so long denied - even if it means sitting in a classroom alongside six-year-olds. Moved by his passionate plea, head teacher Jane Obinchu, supports his struggle to gain admission and together they face fierce opposition from parents and officials who don’t want to waste a precious school place on such an old man.

The First Grader is a BBC Films and UK Film Council production in association with Videovision Entertainment, Lipsync and ARTE France. It is a Sixth Sense / Origin Pictures production directed by Justin Chadwick and stars Naomie Harris, Oliver Litondo, Vusi Kunene, Tony Kgoroge and Israel Makoe. It is written by Ann Peacock, produced by David M. Thompson, Sam Feuer and Richard Harding and executive produced by Anant Singh, Helena Spring, Joe Oppeheimer and Norman Merry.

The First Grader US Release May 13, 2011

National Geographic Entertainment

The First Grader will be released in the United States on May 13, 2011 by National Geographic Entertainment. The film will be launched in New York and Los Angeles and then expanded to other US cities in the forthcoming weeks. The First Grader, based on a true story, is set in a remote primary school in the Kenyan bush where hundreds of children are jostling for a chance for the free education promised by the new Kenyan government. One new applicant causes astonishment when he knocks on the door of the school. He is Maruge, an old Mau Mau veteran in his eighties, who is desperate to learn to read at this late stage of his life. He fought for the liberation of his country and now feels he must have the chance of an education so long denied - even if it means sitting in a classroom alongside six-year-olds.

Moved by his passionate plea, head teacher Jane Obinchu, supports his struggle to gain admission and together they face fierce opposition from parents and officials who don’t want to waste a precious school place on such an old man.

The First Grader has been a hit at prestigious international film festivals since its debut at the Telluride Film Festival last September. The film went on to the Toronto Film Festival where it was the runner up for the Audience Prize and then to the Doha and Pan African Film Festivals where it won the coveted Audience Prize. The First Grader trailer can be viewed at here.

The First Grader is an uplifting true story which realistically portrays the triumph the human spirit against all odds. We urge you to go watch the film and also tell your friends about the film. Hereunder is a list of US cities and theaters at which The First Grader will be playing :

MAY 13, 2011
New York	The Beekman
	Angelika Film Center
Los Angeles	Landmark
May 20, 2011
Atlanta	Tara Cinemas 4
Boston	Kendall Square 9
Chicago	Century Center 7
	Renaissance Place Cinema
Dallas	Landmark Magnolia Pictures
Houston	Greenway Palace Stadium 24
Los Angeles	Westpark 8
Philadelphia	Ritz 5
San Diego	La Jolla Village 4
San Francisco	Embarcadero 5
Washington DC	Shirlington 7
	Bethesda Row
May 27, 2011
Albuquerque	Devargas Mall Cinema 6
Austin	Arbor Cinemas at Great Hills
Charlotte	Regal Cinemas Manor Twin
Dallas	Angelika Film Center & Café
Detroit	Maple Art 3
Indianapolis	Keystone Art
Kansas City	Glenwood Arts
Knoxville	Regal Downtown West Cinema 8
Los Angeles	Playhouse 7
	Town Center 5
Minneapolis	Edina
New York	Cinema 100 Quad
	Clairidge 6
	Roslyn 4
Phoenix	Camelview 5
Portland	Fox Tower Stadium 10
Salt Lake City	Broadway Centre 6
San Francisco	Shattuck 10
Seattle	Metro Cinema
St. Louis	Plaza Frontenac

London Film Festival 2010 Round-Up

The First Grader

Philip Concannon - Phil on Film

This is conventional, tick-the-boxes filmmaking and you can predict its narrative arc from frame one, but The First Grader is a solid crowd-pleaser nonetheless. It’s based on the true story of Kimani N’gan’ga Maruge (Oliver Litondo), an 84 year-old who turned up at a local school one day when the new Kenyan government announced free education for all. Undeterred by the teachers’ insistence that the offer is aimed only at children, Maruge stubbornly turns up at the school gates every day, dressed in uniform and clutching his pad and pencil, until sympathetic teacher Jane Obinchu (Naomie Harris) final relents and allows him to join her class. What follows is a fairly standard tale of inspirational uplift and the desire for education, but director Justin Chadwick also includes some surprisingly dark and violent scenes from Maruge’s freedom fighter past, which are jarring against the generally upbeat images of happy African kids running around in slow motion. The First Grader certainly looks smart thanks to Rob Hardy’s strong cinematography, but the film is really grounded by its two leads. Naomie Harris gives a sensitive and appealing performance, while Oliver Litondo brings a rheumy-eyed dignity to the role of this unlikely hero.

Maruge goes to London

Topi-Talk

The spirit of Maruge, the 84 year old first grader, was brought to London on a chilly autumn evening, when star actor Oliver Litondo and lead actress Naomie Harris stepped on to the red carpet at the Odeon in Leicester Square.

Away from the glamour however there were some fundamental issues raised by the stars. The First Grader may well be a landmark in Kenya’s Film Industry, but the lack of creativity and understanding of the power of film by those in position, has put paid to a great opportunity to market the country’s ideals.

Speaking on the London experience, this apathy was further pronounced, when the South African Embassy hosted the film’s stars and production team at the South Africa House, before the premier on Tuesday, coupled by the resounding absence of the Kenya High Commission staff at any of the functions.

Asked if the film will spur the Government into investing in similar ventures, Mr Litondo, a Harvard alumni, in Theatre Arts, sadly noted the lack of appreciation so far, but enthused that with the new constitution in place, it will only be a matter of time before the whole industry is revolutionised, “I believe with young people coming up, they will be able to open the archives that have been hitherto out of bounds, so we can fetch our own stories and make films about our own people.”

Mr. Litondo said fans back in Nairobi had also wondered why a film shot in Kenya and whose main actor and supporting actors were Kenyan, could be celebrated by the South Africans while the Kenya High Commission had nothing planned.

The co-star Naomie Harris was the ultimate ‘Lady’, so elegant and well spoken with surprising humility; the British born actress lauded the welcoming nature of the Kenyan people which she found inspiring, “Working with the children was amazing; you could feel that wonderful sense of community sipping through. And their appreciation for the Now and living for the Now!” She revealed that despite the long hours put in the children never for once complained.

Naomie Harris played Mwalimu Jane to the T. She was astounding.

Naomie is looking forward to returning to Kenya during the film launch there, “We plan to go and show the film at the school on widescreen for the children and the community.” She said, the film had a universal message about the need for free Education for all people regardless of age and gender, “We live in a really ageist society, which thinks once you are over 35, then your life is over, but the First Grader has a different message; that regardless of your age you can turn your life around and realise your dreams.”

In the film, Naomie was sensational, you cannot believe she is British and dons a posh accent, in fact you would think (except for some little traces of southern Africa accent) that she was picked from a village in Bungoma or Busia!

Also braving the chill among the usual crowd that just loves premiers was celebrity guest, former Eastenders actress Michelle Ryan, who said she loved going to premiers and may one day go into film acting.

The few Kenyans that managed to watch the premier were just over the moon; Salphares noted; “Halafu set yenyewe iko home huko ngong hills, imenibamba mbaya sana!” (The setting was in my home-town Ngong Hills, which really excited me, can’t get over it. Mashaa Thiongo was grateful for the opportunity; “I could not have missed it for anything, great showing by Kenyans, we need more.”

The exclusive Oliver Litondo interview will soon appear on video. If you want to share in his dreams and baspirations… Just watch this space.

The First Grader team left London on Tuesday evening for Dohar where they attend a premier of the movie this week before proceeding to Hong Kong China. They are expected in the US in April next year.

The shows in London were part of the British Film Institute – BFI – film week that ran from 13-28^th October. The First Grader was given extended viewing till the 28^th October 10…So if u can get the ticket. Just log on to the BFI website and book online.

Chadwick hones in on the minute detail...

London Film Festival

By Naima Khan - Spoonfed

From the director of The Other Boleyn Girl comes a heart warming depiction of one man’s struggle with education in Kenya, based on a true story.

For a Mancunian director, Justin Chadwick has chosen a very American title for his film, The First Grader : perhaps Kenyans do use the term ‘first graders’ but it doesn’t ever actually appear in the film. Chadwick has also chosen a rather formulaic structure through which to tell the touching true story of Maruge, an 84 year-old man who decides to go to elementary school for the first time.

Chadwick has a weighty character on his hands and a worthwhile story driven by themes of hope, tenacity and development; but in choosing such a conventional structure, he fails to set this film apart. Maruge, on the other hand, played by Oliver Litondo, is a standout character portrayed flawlessly by a remarkable actor.

Inspired by the government’s decision to provide “free education for all” and driven by a letter from the president he can’t read, Maruge decides to make use of the chance for an education. He joins the primary school class of inspirational Teacher Jane, a character completely owned by Naomie Harris who creates a teacher we all wish we had.

Maruge and Jane face animosity from the parents of the children in the class – all brilliant non-actors – mixed interest from the press and bureaucracy from superintendents and city bigwigs. The view that an education is wasted on an old man pervades the film, as do the things owed to Maruge for his part in fighting the British occupation of Kenya. These themes elevate The First Grader and Chadwick handles the complexity of education in a developing country with delicacy and warmth. He reminds us of the oft-forgotten elderly members of society who continue to carry with them their country’s past: a universal point that rings louder and truer for countries with a colonial history, like Kenya.

Chadwick also champions education as the Kenyans do. He’s clearly in love with this country, its landscape and its people. His scenes depict the past conflicts Maruge has lived through alongside his current struggle for education. His shots hone in on the minute detail of sowing seed by hand and writing numbers with a blunt pencil, and they all weave seamlessly into Maruge’s issues with his old eyes and ears.

A moving film with an enthralling cast, inspirational characters and a weighty history, Justin Chadwick’s The First Grader is only let down by its predictable structure.