The First Grader (2010)

The true story of an 84 year-old Kenyan villager and ex Mau Mau freedom fighter who fights for his right to go to school for the first time to get the education he could never afford.

Director:

Justin Chadwick

Writer:

Ann Peacock

Stars:

Naomie Harris, Oliver Litondo, Tony Kgoroge

10 wins & 11 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Naomie Harris	...	Jane Obinchu
Oliver Litondo	...	Kimani N'gan'ga Maruge
Tony Kgoroge	...	Charles Obinchu
Alfred Munyua	...	Teacher Alfred
Shoki Mokgapa	...	Teacher Elizabeth
Vusi Kunene	...	Mr. Kipruto (as Vusimizi Michael Kunene)
Agnes Simaloi	...	Agnes
Kamau Mbaya	...	Kamau Chege
Emily Njoki	...	Young Maruge's wife
Lwanda Jawar	...	Young Maruge
Dan 'Churchill' Ndambuki	...	DJ Masha
Hannah Wacera	...	Maruge's Daughter
John Kimani	...	Maruge's Baby Son
Macharia Kamau	...	DJ's PA
Abubakar Mwenda	...	Boie

Storyline

Set in a mountain village in Kenya the film tells the remarkable true and uplifting story of a proud old Mau Mau veteran who is determined to seize his last chance to learn to read and write - and so ends up joining a class alongside six year-olds. Together he and his young teacher face fierce resistance, but ultimately they win through - and also find a new way of overcoming the burdens of the colonial past.

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Plot Keywords:

school | teacher | kenya | mau mau | kenyan | 

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Taglines:

It's never too late to dream.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some disturbing violent content and brief nudity

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [jp]

Country:

UK USA Kenya

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 June 2011 (Ireland)

Also Known As:

Az iskolakezdő

Filming Locations:

Kenya

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$20,437 (USA) (13 May 2011)

Gross:

$330,533 (USA) (29 July 2011)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Sixth Sense Productions, Origin Pictures, BBC Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Jane Obinchu: [addressing her 200 students on her last day] My mother never went to school, and she said to me, 'You must love education, so that you can do better than me'. I am your mother and I am telling you, you must love education, so that you can do better than me, better than all of the teachers.

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Connections

Featured in Breakfast: Episode dated 20 June 2011 (2011)

User Reviews

A touching story

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. This topic is already very interesting and intellectually stimulating. 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.