Life is constantly throwing us lemons, and sometimes we are down and out. Need a bit of a pick-me-up? CATCHPLAY has just the films that will both soothe and inspire the soul.
The First Grader
They say it’s never too late to start over, and this is a belief that Kimani Maruge certainly kept close to his heart when he decided to enrol in first grade at the age of 84. The Kenyan villager took the courageous step following the government’s announcement of universal and free elementary education in 2003, despite facing plenty of criticism and obstacles. He eventually made it as a model student and head boy. He was subsequently recognised by the Guinness World Record for being the oldest person to start primary school.
The real Kimani Maruge in his school uniform
Released in 2010, The First Grader is based on the true story of Maruge’s challenging educational journey. The idea for this biographical drama film first came about when the producer came across a report on him on the front page of the LA Times. Filming took place in the Rift Valley in Kenya. “We could have shot it in South Africa, but Kenya has this unbelievable, inexplicable energy in the children and the people we were making the film about,” said director Justin Chadwick.
A veteran of Kenya’s struggle for independence from British rule, Maruge had remarked that when he started lessons, he wanted to learn to read the Bible and count. He saw no shame in attending the same school as two of his grandchildren, and in 2005 boarded a plane for the first time in his life to address the United Nations Millennium Development Summit in New York on the importance of free primary education. Although he succumbed to stomach cancer in 2009, he was a sterling example of never quenching one’s thirst for knowledge – reminding us that we should always strive to make full use of the very limited time we have on this earth.
Mr. Pip
We know by now how lucky we are to be literate, especially when many others aren’t. Aside from being able to learn, we can also draw strength from books and other things. This 2012 New Zealand film set in Papua New Guinea tells the tale of a young girl becoming transfixed by the novel Great Expectations, which is being read at school by the only white man in the village. As her own world is falling apart, she finds comfort in the story of Pip, a Victorian orphan. P.S. House fans: rejoice – the movie stars Hugh Laurie, which is always a plus.
Mr. Pip is based on the award-winning book of the same name by Lloyd Jones, who conceived the idea after covering the conflict between Papua New Guinea and Bougainville over the closure of Rio Tinto’s copper mine in the ‘90s. If you enjoyed Shrek, its sequel and the first two instalments of The Chronicles of Narnia, you may be pleased to know that the screenplay was penned by the man who directed those films. Lots of movies have transformative powers and this one is no exception: you’ll not only walk away feeling more appreciative of what you have, but also fired up about the little things you could do to make a difference in the world.
Queen of Katwe
The opportunities we get set us up for success (or failure, if there’s a lack thereof). And this 2016 American biographical sports drama emphasises just that. It tells the story of a Ugandan girl living in a slum in Katwe, and how her path changes one day when she meets a chess coach at a missionary programme. Under his guidance, she eventually becomes a Woman Candidate Master following her performances at the World Chess Olympiads. But because she is overwhelmed by the new life she is exposed to outside of her village, she begins to falter from stress and identity issues.
Adapted from an ESPN magazine article and book by Tim Crothers, Queen of Katwe is based on the life of Phiona Mutesi and is produced by Walt Disney Pictures. Director Mira Nair defined it as “a radical film for Disney in many ways… it has beauty and barbarity side-by-side”. She believed that the film could fit within the Disney tradition of making movies with “underdog” undertones, noting that they were trying to “gently expand the idea of what a ‘Disney film’ could be”, and that the company was “very open to wanting to tell an aspirational story about someone from someplace that is not at all familiar to Western audiences”.
Life is never fair, and this film brings to mind exactly why we should seize every chance we get, for it could forever alter the way we live. Perfect for those times we feel a tad unmotivated if you ask me.
