It's never too late to dream
The First Grader” has its critics – some reviewers say the movie is too “Hollywood”, too clichéd, too formulaic. But the screen version of the inspirational life of Kimani Ng’ang’a Maruge, the oldest primary school pupil in the world.
has also delighted audiences at festivals from Telluride, Colorado to London.
Directed by Justin Chadwick, the film stars former newsreader and journalist Oliver Litondo as Maruge, and Naomie Harris, of “Pirates of the Caribbean” fame, as gutsy principal Jane Obinchu who backs his desire to learn. But the real stars are perhaps the children, many of whom had never seen a television set before the international crew came to their school.
Maruge (Oliver Litondo) at his desk, towering over his classmates.Copyright 2009 Photo: Kerry Brown.
Maruge became something of a national and international hero in 2003 when, aged 84, he enrolled in a primary school in Eldoret, taking the government up on its promise of free education for all. He faced opposition from locals who felt he was wasting his and the school’s time, but the former Mau Mau fighter, who was tortured by the British colonial administration, did not back down. Maruge died of cancer in 2009 but Chadwick and the producers did meet with him beforehand.
The movie, whose U.S. rights have been bought by National Geographic Films, has screened at festivals in Telluride, London and Toronto, where it was runner-up for the People’s Choice Award.
Chadwick decided to shoot in Kenya, despite the obvious lure of South Africa’s more mature filmmaking industry. “I fought for it to be shot in Kenya, because you just felt this unbelievable, inexplicable energy that was there, with these children, these people. It was a different feeling – and I wanted to capture that in the film,” he said on the movie’s website.
The initial plan was to shoot the film in the Kapkenduiywo Primary School, where Maruge studied, but logistics were too complicated. Finally, the team found another school in the Rift Valley. The actors were introduced to the children as teachers, lending an air of authenticity to the shoot. Litondo, who never had a chance to meet Maruge, said the mzee taught others to dream. “He’s an inspiration to both young and old Kenyans. Since Maruge’s story came out, I’ve read other stories of older people going to school.”
