The official trailer for The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind has been released by Netflix, and it’s incredibly poignant. Based on the remarkable life of Malawian inventor William Kamkwamba, the film recounts how 13-year-old William, played by Maxwell Simba, used his inventive and curious mind to save his cherished village from famine.
Nigerian-British actor Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years A Slave) has brought Kamkwamba’s exceptional story to life in his directorial debut, which he also stars in as the father of William. The film, which recently premiered at Sundance Film Festival, is creating a necessary space for more diverse stories from Africa to be told from multiple perspectives.
“I think it’s a very exciting time for diversity in cinema,” Ejiofor told Indiewire at Sundance. “Of course, all these different perspectives from very powerful media industries and these different points of view actually affect the nature and the psychology of the societies that we’re all in, and that’s been part of the problem — that when things are related from only one point of view, that it kind of shuts down the conversation across the board in a cultural context.”
In the two minute trailer, we’re given a glimpse at just how powerful and emotionally gripping the film will be. We watch as a drought creates suffering and famine within the Malawian community. And briefly, we become acquainted with the determined, inquisitive mind of William as he finds a way to bring water to the village, despite the obstacles in his path.
The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind stars Maxwell Simba, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Lily Banda, Noma Dumezweni, Aissa Maiga, Joseph Marcell, Philbert Falakeza and Lemogang Tsipa. It premieres on Netflix on March 1st.
Watch the trailer below:
Other Articles
Review: John Leguizamo’s “Latin History For Morons”
Comedian Amanda Seales On Her New HBO Special, “I Be Knowin’”
