The First Grader
Tags: violence, avant garde, cruelty, murder, flashback

Plot synopsis:
Kenya, 2003: A radio DJ announces that the Kenyan government is offering free primary school education to all. Maruge (OLIVER LITONDO), an 84 year-old villager, hears this and decides he wants to educate himself. Arriving at his local school, with a newspaper clipping about this change in policy, he meets Jane (NAOMIE HARRIS), the schools principal, and expresses his desire to learn. Her colleague Alfred (ALFRED MUNYUA), in an effort to get rid of him, tells him all pupils need two pencils and an exercise book.The next day, Maruge returns, telling Jane he wants to learn to read. He has a letter from the Office of the President that he wants to understand. Exasperated, she tells him the school already has too many pupils. Later that night, she tells her husband Charles (TONY KGOROGE) about Maruge. Cautious of his own position, working alongside the government in Nairobi, he advises her to fight the battles she can win.After cutting his trousers and turning them into shorts, Maruge returns to the school again. While Jane tells the school inspector Mr. Kipruto (VUSI KUNENE) on the telephone that she currently has five children to a desk, when Maruge re-appears, she relents. Alfred is reluctant, yet Jane is defiant, claiming Kipruto is not the head of the school. Allowing Maruge into her class, she seats him near the front after he admits his eyesight is not so good and begins to teach him, and her other charges, how to write the alphabet.Plagued by memories of his time in Kenya in 1953, when he fought with the Mau Mau against the British, it even impacts upon Maruge in class, when Alfred scolds him for not keeping his pencil sharp. Made to sharpen it, he breaks down as he recalls a time when the British tortured him using a sharp pencil brutally thrust into his ear. Apologising to Jane, saying it wont happen again, Maruge later educates his fellow pupils, patiently explains about the fight for land that he and other Mau Mau undertook and teaching them the word for freedom.Resentment brews over Maruges education. At home, people shout that he should stay away from the school, while in the playground, covert photographs are taken of him. Soon enough, the story that an old man is going to school hits the radio airwaves. Kipruto arrives, furious that he has learnt in the press that Maruge is attending his school. Jane tells him that Maruge fought against the British. She later learns from Maruge that the same soldiers killed his family.Desperate to keep Maruge in school, Jane calls Charles, but he advises her not to go over Kiprutos head. She wilfully ignores him, visiting the head of the education board to plead Maruges case. Her protests fall on deaf ears and Maruge is made to attend an adult education centre, where he soon finds himself surrounded by people with no ambitions to learn. He goes to see Jane, telling her he must learn to read because he wants to be able to understand the letter hes been sent. Refusing to go back to the adult education centre, Maruge nevertheless must say his goodbyes to the children. Yet Jane offers him a reprieve as her teaching assistant.As the story breaks, the press descends on the school, surrounding Jane and wanting to question Maruge. He tells the reporters that the power is in the pen. Nevertheless, his presence in the school is beginning to cause anger amongst the parents of the young pupils. One mother confront Jane, accusing her of seeking fame and fortune from all the attention, while another father proclaims to Alfred that the school is spending too much time on Maruge. Again, Kipruto arrives with the school in chaos, telling Jane that her special pupil cannot stay and that plans are afoot for the government to compensate the Mau Mau.Resolute, Jane decides to teach Maruge to read after school has finished despite receiving threatening phone calls. A delegation of politicians arrive at the school, keen to cash in on the free publicity surrounding Maruge, while secretly demanding that Jane cut them in on any money she has received. Events begin to spiral - people attack the school with sticks while Charles receives an anonymous telephone call, noting his wife is now out of control. Jane soon receives a letter that she is to be transferred to a school 300 miles away. Charles tells her that events surrounding Maruge are tearing them apart, explaining that hes received calls claiming she has been unfaithful.Jane explains to Maruge that she is being transferred, and then undertakes an emotional goodbye to the children, who all bring her gifts. Meanwhile, Kipruto introduces the class new teacher. Enraged, the children padlock the school gate and throw missiles at her and Kipruto. Meanwhile, Maruge travels to Nairobi, heading to the Ministry of Education, where he confronts the board on behalf of Jane, showing them the scars he sustained as a young man tortured by the British.Jane returns to the school, where Maruge is there to welcome her back. He wants her to read to him his letter, which explains he will be compensated for his time in the prison camps. As the film draws to a close, the radio DJ announces that Maruge the Guinness Book of Records holder for the oldest person to go to primary school will speak at the United Nations.
thefirstgrader-themovie.com/synopsis/

Review: A fine film, but not a feel-good movie for kids.
The First Grader (2010), directed by Justin Chadwick, is a serious and important film that is being advertised as a feel-good movie, suitable for kids.
The film is a portrayal of the true story of Kimani N'gan'ga Maruge, an 84-year-old Kenyan man who successfully enrolled in a first grade.
When the Kenyan government announces "free education for all," he accepts this literally and tries to enroll in the first grade.This neglect of former revolutionaries has occurred in many countries, and, at least in the film, Kenya is no exception.
As portrayed in the movie, the Kenyan government officials aren't that different from the British colonial officials, except for skin color.
They're certainly not enthusiastic about large numbers of adults following Maruge's example and enrolling in school.
The behavior of the dedicated teacher who accepts Maruge in her class is too good to be true, and the other education officials are all "bad-guy" cardboard cutouts.
A subplot involving the teacher (Jane Obinchu) and her husband is contrived and leads nowhere.The torture scenes are horribly graphic and almost certainly realistic.
(See the entry about Kenya in Wikipedia for the terrible details.) Those scenes make the movie completely unsuitable for children, in my opinion.The film is still worth seeing because it is based on a true event.
Who cannot be moved by an 84-year-old who is determined to read?
In addition, the acting by the two principals, Naomie Harris as the teacher Jane Obinchu, and Oliver Litondo as Kimani Manuge is superb.Although the film will work better on a large screen, it will definitely be worth seeing on DVD as well.
I just saw this movie yesterday, and I felt that it was so well made, so touching, so inspiring, and so important.
It is a rare kind of movie that teaches you history, shows you other people's struggles, and moves you emotionally because it captures the strength of the human spirit.This movie is important because it shows that it is possible to overcome adversity and makes you believe that it is never too late to attain those things that are valuable to you.
It also really brings into focus the power and importance of education.I'm really glad that I saw this movie, and I hope that many other people will go see it as well..
An Important Film on Many Levels.
This is a very good movie which operates at various levels.
Ostensibly about an 84 year-old man going to primary school for the first time, it also covers (in graphic detail) a dark period in Kenya's and Britain's past: The Mau Mau Rebellion.The issues raised are complex: the right for an old man to an education even if it excludes another child in a country of stretched educational resources; the fight for freedom and the integrity of an oath; and the battle against officialdom are but a few.
Above all, it's a struggle against adversity on a variety of levels, both past and present.The Mau Mau Rebellion is often overlooked in histories outside Kenya and this is well portrayed in the film.
At times it is frightening and certainly very threatening and the director contrasts the flashbacks of the past with those of the present.The acting, cinematography, editing are excellent.
And even though it becomes a tad clichéd, it is still an impressive and inspiring story.
Certainly worth a watch and better than a lot of movies I have seen this year..
This is a wonderful and inspiring film.
It's about a teacher and an eighty year old pupil who wants to learn to read who has never had a formal education.
It's also about history, Africa, colonialism – it takes in a lot of diverse topics and it does it all rather well.
It's not one of these syrupy films where all the villagers unite behind the teacher and her new elder pupil – in fact the opposite happens.The film has a distinctive African authenticity – the classroom, the village, the different tribal groupings...
My Emotional and Spiritual Journey through life is forever Sweetened by this Evocative, true-life story~ it is as if i've learned to find a Hero, all over again, for the first time.i know i can never have anything in common with this man, and yet i feel as though i love him...
his strength, courage, tenacity, need, and generosity of spirit make me feel shame at being human and find redemption in humanity at the same time.
i've gained so much by giving just these few moments to this film, his story will stay with me until the End of Time.
It's a fantastic story, and what makes it all the more amazing, as confirmed by Justin Chadwick at the festival, everything you see in the film is true and actually happened.I am not ashamed to admit that I was moved to tears, and these were not tears of joy.
It covers, in flash back, a part of our history that I am sure most of my fellow countrymen would wish had never happened.I would strongly recommend that every Britain and every Kenyan watches this film.
However, I think this kind of caricature may be derived from Kenyan culture.I thoroughly enjoyed the character development as well as the pacing of the story.
Having visited Kenya briefly in 2006, this brought back a lot of good memories of the country and the people.
As others have said, it isn't a movie for children, but should be on the "to watch" list for adolescents and adults..
Glorious acting by the leads, a charming yet affecting screenplay, taut direction and above all stunning cinematography - all making for a gem of a film.Due the nature of the story (daww, an 84 year-old guy in Kenya learning his ABCs with all the little kids...) some scenes skim dangerously close to being too cute and sentimental but thankfully the harrowing background to the story and gutwrenching depiction of conflicts in the past, along with the personal tragedy at the heart of the story make this such a moving film.
Both Naomie Harris and Oliver Litondo deliver phenomenal performances, the latter in particular I think deserves Oscar consideration..
The first grader, a true story about an 84 year old Kimani Maruge (Oliver Litondo) and his quest for education.
The first grader is a true story about an 84 year old Kimani Maruge (Oliver Litondo) who decides to go back to school after learning that the Kenyan government has introduced free education.
He goes back to school so he can learn how to read the bible and a letter he received.
The head teacher Jane Obinchu (Naomi Harris) undergoes the struggles with Maruge, which rocks her marriage and also gets her transferred to another school.
The movie's theme is the struggle a person undergoes when attempting to accomplish his or her goals.
The movie's plot combined with good acting from Oliver Litondo and Naomi Harris shows his journey and struggles.
Maruge and Obinchu fight the parents, villagers, education board, and teachers that are against his going back to school as they see do not see the reason why an old man about to die needs education.
Conviction, a movie about Carl Upchurch, a felon who turns his life around while in prison by getting an education and discovering his identity has a similar theme to that of the First Grader.
The first grader uses low-key lighting to create a somber mood and especially when Maruge has flashbacks of his days in the forest as a MauMau soldier and the torture he endured.
The movie also uses high-key lighting with the difference between light and dark areas being wide thus creating powerful dramatic images.
The movie also employs motifs, which is in form of Marugue's struggle and journey.
The flashbacks about Maruge's days as a MauMau veteran and the suffering he and others endured in order to help Kenya achieve its independence is the motif that reflects the movies theme.
In the movie, Maruge is suffering and is also being ridiculed by other due to his decision to get an education.
The first grader is an inspirational story that takes the viewer through the struggle of a man to achieve his goal of learning how to read so he can understand the bible and a letter he received..
This film is about a 84-year-old man who insists on attending primary school, when the Kenyan government announces that there is free education for all."The First Grader" is about an elderly man who wants to be educated.
His action provokes debate within the viewer, as we have to decide on how to interpret the Kenyan government's promise, ethical issues, effective allocation of public resources and opportunity costs.
There is also a subplot about the dark colonial history of Kenya, which probably aims to enhance the viewers' connection with the protagonist.
However, I find the subplot ineffective without more detailed background history of Kenya, and more development on this subplot.
Despite the shortcoming, "The First Grader" is still a touching and inspiring tale..
A good retelling of a valiant journey for a hero in the twilight of his life.Great depictions of African people and culture.Stunning photography..
STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning The Kenyan government suddenly announces free education for all- something 84 year old former Mau Mau warrior Maruge (Oliver Litondo in his debut role) takes rather literally, turning up at the run down school meant to teach six year olds to get what he should have had as a child.
Meeting fierce opposition from parents and teachers, the only one who comes round to giving him a chance is teacher Jane (Naomie Harris) with whom he takes a rickety journey with various twists and turns.Justin Chadwick's little heard of drama is another drama for the 'fact is stranger than fiction' staple, detailing the true life story of Maruge who really battled for his right to what he should have been given as a youngster, and died in 2009 at the age of 89, 84 surprising enough an age given the average life expectancy for a male in Kenya can't be more than late forties?!?
In all ways, it's a bizarre tale made even more bizarre by the fact it's true.
But true it is, and while Chadwick's effort doesn't go beyond the genre conventions of the 'triumpth against all odds' formula, it plays to them as competently and effectively as it should, never becoming too drowned in sentiment or too clichéd and predictable to care about it.
In what is ironically his debut acting role, in the lead Litondo feels very much like the character he's playing, an old and confused man with what seem to some like eccentric expectations, haunted by a devastating past he still hasn't come to terms with as a very old man, while the always impressive Harris nails the role as the driven, determined teacher.The only real, and notable, criticism of The First Grader is that it's just been done before, and doesn't really do anything to make it stand out from the loads of other films there have been about someone struggling against the odds to achieve the seemingly impossible.
It's very difficult not to be sympathetic to the lead character, an 84-year old man who wants a basic education.
But my antenna went up about 1/4 of the way into the movie when they start exploring the main characters Mau-Mau past.
Then about 3/4 of the way through the movie my BS alert went into overdrive when one of the "extras" excitedly mentions Michelle Obama.
And I finally realized, at the end, when another tangential character (stolen from the movie "Vanishing Point; Cleavon Little's "Super Soul") asks, "What's next?
A black man in the White House?" Remember -- this movie was made two full years after there WAS a black man in the White House.
And the point of the movie?
And the point of the movie?
Just remember, the movie was a production of the propaganda department - the BBC - of a socialist government..
The producers of The First Grader have missed a great opportunity to really inspire the primary schoolchildren on the world ..
I spent most of my life in Africa (so far) and loved the sweeping shots of rural Kenya and the enthusiasm of the Kenyan children and of course Maruge.
It's a feel good movie that lost its way.
The person I would most like to see it – my son - will be denied the opportunity because I feel that the torture scenes are too extreme.
I realise that the Mau Mau uprising resulted in terrible recrimination in Kenya (especially for the Kikuyus) and should not be glossed over.
But feel that the producers of The First Grader have missed a great opportunity to really inspire the primary schoolchildren on the world – that you should only stop learning "until you have soil in your ears!".
The desire to learn is so deep in the main character--which has been a desire in many who did not have the opportunity.
The movie also shows that youth can learn from seniors-therefore I would recommend it for middle school and up.
Opportunity to learn about powerful piece of African History-don't miss it.
We especially can appreciate it when we see it through the eyes of eager children trying to learn the their ABCs in a dusty one room class room in Kenya where the government has decreed, for the first time, the right of everyone to be educated.
We are taken to a new level of appreciation when we see it from the point of view of an 85 year old man Kimani Ng'ang'a Maruge (Oliver Musila Litondo) who is determined to join this class and get the education he never had and learn to read.
This is based a true story of a man who became a national hero in Kenya and a symbol of the universal desire for education as his quest ultimately brought the real Maruge from his country village to address the United Nations.
However important this theme may be, there also was another story going on here.
This proud man had been part of Kikuyu tribe, which produced the Mau-Mau rebellion, which ultimately led to the Kenyan independence from British colonial rule.
He demands and gets the respect as others realize that he had been one of freedom fighters who took a sacred oath to return the land controlled by the British back to the native people.
As a young man he endured torture and witnessed the death of his wife and children at the hands of the British who demanded that he give up his oath of resistance.
The movie flashes back from the present day of this old man trying to learn to read to when he was resisting the powerful British.
This is a poignant and dramatic story about a piece of history that most of us do not know much about.
It is all the more remarkable because it paints an extremely negative picture of colonial Britain by this British Director with the initial support of the BBC, which took the project into development.
The school children and most of the characters were not professional actors but all real life Kenyan people.
The exception was Naomie Harris an outstanding English screen actress who had a major role-playing Jane Obinchu the schoolteacher who believed Maruge deserved the opportunity to learn to read.
The performance by Litondo as Maruge is totally believable, as he seems to embody this "Mandelaisk" persona.
Litondo is a native Kenyan who used to be a news anchor with no previous acting experience.
Harris, Chadwick and their entire crew spent several weeks in Kenya working with locals and preparing to shoot this movie there.
The result is an extremely, sensitive effective and emotional film.
A middle school teacher in our audience mentioned how she was inspired to go back into her classroom and we all could feel the awe and the thirst for learning that young people and a deprived older man might feel.
We also have had our interest peaked to learn more about this very interesting and complicated piece of African history about which this story only scratched the surface.
It is a movie that should not be missed.
I was impressed that the UK Film Council went ahead and did this movie despite Britain's ugly history in Kenya.
Oliver Litondo and Naomi Harris deserve an ovation every morning.
PTSD is real; despite, Maruge broke through.
A great story.
And - oh yes graphic torture scenes unsuitable for children.And let's not forget the classic breakthrough boardroom scene with astounded and receptive officials who never call security when the intruder appears like a crazed lunatic to Bring.
I homeschool my 12 year old daughter.
This film opened our eyes to the struggle happening in Kenya while the British were fighting over land.
This is a great follow up movie to The Good Lie. Although completely different storyline, there is a familiarity and almost mirroring between the two films.
This story follows Maruge, an 84 year old gentleman who was part of the Mau Mau tribe and taken into custody after his family was brutally murdered before his eyes.
Maruge never received an education, as was true for the majority of adults during this time period.
The First Grader follows Maruge's struggle to receive an education and learn to read well after his release from the detainee/work camp in 1963.
Maruge appeals to adult and teenaged viewers.
Jane Obinchu is the primary school teacher in this remote location in Kenya.
The viewer feels her pull to help Maruge despite her husband's insistence that it will be nothing but trouble.
I would recommend this movie to open up lines of communication between yourself and your child.