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.

The First Grader Premiers at London Film Festival

London Film Festival 2010

Press Association - Mirror Video - People.co.uk

The First Grader was inspired by the true story about a Kenyan man who goes back to primary school at the age of 84 to get the education he always wanted.

Click here to watch the London Film Festival premier on YouTube…

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.

The First Grader pushes All The Right Buttons

The View London Review

By Matthew Turner

An enjoyable feel-good drama that pushes all the right buttons thanks to strong direction and terrific performances from Oliver Litondo and Naomie Harris, though it’s also entirely predictable and some scenes may be too strong for young children.

What’s it all about?

Directed by Justin Chadwick, The First Grader is based on a true story and set in Kenya in 2003. Oliver Litondo stars as 84-year-old village elder and ex-freedom-fighter Kimani Ng’ang’a Maruge, who decides to take advantage of a government free primary schooling initiative to gain the education he’s always wanted, prompted by the arrival of an important letter from the government that he’s unable to read.

Maruge duly presents himself at the gate of a school run by kindly Jane Obinchu (Naomie Harris) and her assistant Alfred (Alfred Munyua). After some initial resistance (Alfred insists Maruge must have a school uniform; Maruge turns up the next day in shorts, long socks and a shirt and tie), he’s allowed to join the school but his presence causes local and later national unrest, with seemingly only Jane prepared to fight his corner.

The Good

Oliver Litondo is superb, delivering a performance that is dignified, determined and quietly moving, while radiating warmth and humanity; his interactions with the children (especially a lame little girl and a boy who’s bullied by his strict father) are amongst the film’s highlights. Naomie Harris is equally good as Jane, generating strong chemistry with both Litondo and the children.

Chadwick’s direction is assured throughout, particularly during the schoolroom scenes, which have an authentic feel thanks to the use of a real school and its pupils. There’s also a lot of humour in the film, though some of the jokes are a little dodgy, for example a scene where Jane asks Maruge how he managed to control the kids and he replies that he threatened them with his stick, which would be a lot funnier if we hadn’t already seen Maruge use his stick to break up two fighting pupils in an earlier scene.

The Bad

The main problem with the film is that it’s relentlessly predictable from beginning to end, to the point that every scene unfolds exactly as you’d expect. In addition, the brutal flashback sequences (to Maruge being tortured by the British in the 1960’s) may prove too strong for younger viewers.

Worth seeing?

This is a well-made feel-good drama that makes up for its predictability with strong direction, an emotionally engaging script and terrific performances from its two leads. Worth seeing.