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The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (2019)

★★★½ — The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (2019)

Chiwetel Ejiofor, best known as an actor (most prominently from Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave in 2013), made his feature directorial debut here, also writing the screenplay himself. The film is adapted from William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer's 2009 memoir of the same name, which documented Kamkwamba's real effort to build a wind turbine from scrap materials during the catastrophic Malawian famine of 2001 and 2002. Ejiofor shot largely on location in Malawi, casting Maxwell Simba as the young Kamkwamba in what was the boy's first significant screen role. The production was backed by a modest but credible combination of Participant Media, BBC Film, and the BFI, and was released via Netflix, which gave it a limited theatrical run before a wide streaming release in March 2019.

A-Z World Movie Tour Malawi Such a moving and inspiring true story, beautifully told, with real people at its heart and a deep respect for resilience, education, and family. The cinematography is stunning; the landscapes feel alive, and the music wraps everything in warmth and soul. It’s hard not to be emotionally invested in this journey, especially when you know it’s based on real events. Chiwetel Ejiofor directs with care and authenticity, and the performances feel genuine and powerful throughout. That said… I think it could’ve lost about 25 minutes without losing any of its impact. Some scenes drag, and the pacing sags in the middle. Still, it’s a beautiful film, just one that could’ve been even stronger with a tighter edit.

Rating: ★★★½ | Year: 2019 | Watched: 2025-07-15

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Where to watch (UK)

Stream: Netflix · Netflix Standard with Ads
Physical: Amazon UK

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