Movie of the Week
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind – Netflix Original Film
This true story from southern Africa tells how, 13-year-old William Kamkwamba builds a wind turbine to save his Malawian village from famine.
Click below to watch the trailer and to read more about the film.
Adapted from the bestselling book by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind is the story of 13-year-old William (played by newcomer Maxwell Simba) who is thrown out of the school he loves when his family can no longer afford the fees. Sneaking back into the school library, he finds a way, using the bones of the bicycle belonging to his father Trywell (Chiwetel Ejiofor), to build a windmill which then saves his Malawian village from famine. The emotional journey of a father and his exceptional son at its heart, William’s tale captures the incredible determination of a boy whose inquisitive mind overcame every obstacle in his path.
The film highlights the power of education and individual determination to change the trajectory of a life, a village and a nation. By telling the story of one boy’s efforts to overcome the barriers he faces to education, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind inspires audiences to imagine a future where every child, in every village, has access to knowledge and opportunities to put that knowledge to work.
The film is available to stream now on Netflix.
