The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

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The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

2019

1h 53m

Drama

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Popcornmeter

86%

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66 Reviews

88%

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500+ Ratings

A 13-year-old boy is thrown out of the school he loves when his family can no longer afford the fees. He sneaks into the library and learns how to build a windmill to save his village from a famine.

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Critics Consensus

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind earns its predictably uplifting arc through strong performances and impressive work from debuting director Chiwetel Ejiofor.

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Atavia Reed

Chicago Reader

Ejiofor captures perfectly the heart of a town struggling to prosper, a family fighting to survive, and a young boy who just wants to keep the world as he knows it alive and well.

Feb 21, 2020

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Adam Woodward

Little White Lies

This is a promising debut from Ejiofor - and further proof of Netflix's willingness to invest in stories which other studios might deem less commercially viable.

Mar 13, 2019

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Tim Grierson

Screen International

Chronicling how an impoverished African family perseveres during hardship, The Boy speaks eloquently about the importance of education and the need for sons to surpass their fathers.

Mar 13, 2019

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Aaron Charles

InSession Film

This is a feel-good film, yes, but it is also much more than that. There are painful moments along with the joyful ones.

Rated: A-

May 10, 2024

Full Review

Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

A beautiful and at times heartbreaking slice of real life.

Rated: 4.5/5

Aug 19, 2022

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Nicolás Delgadillo

Discussing Film

An emotional display of the power of human ingenuity and what people can accomplish in trying times, and it's Ejiofor's script that sets the film apart from other similar inspirational biopics.

Jun 25, 2021

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Alfie V

Brilliant no other words needed

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/19/25

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Stachu K

Its story based on true facts. The landscape of Africa shown on the screen is brutal but real, during all these bad things a genius grewn up. Film is very good.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/29/25

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Leaburn O

Ultimately an uplifting tale and a ridiculously impressive real life accomplishment. Watched on Netflix.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

05/20/25

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Jonathan K

The story is really remarkable -- and what's even more amazing is that it's true. The acting is high quality, particularly by the female leads, with some really solid performances that help drive the emotional weight of the story. However, things do slow down a bit toward the end. On top of that, the cinematography is pretty lacking. The shots feel cheap, like something you'd expect from a made-for-TV movie or a low-budget show. But honestly, that doesn’t take away from the film too much. At the end of the day, it’s still a moving story and a snapshot of the unbelievable hardship of famine.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/11/25

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Dark R

This movie was amazing! It started kinda slow but then immediately drew you into the story! The plot was very well put together, and the actors were emotionally involving! I definitely would recommend this movie!

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

06/07/24

Full Review

Kal S

A beautiful film, probably best enjoyed without knowing what it’s all leading to. In other words, forget the title, and don't watch the Ted Talk beforehand. (2/9/2019)

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

05/23/24

Full Review

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Chiwetel Ejiofor

Director

Chiwetel Ejiofor

Trywell Kamkwamba

Aïssa Maïga

Agnes Kamkwamba

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The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

A 13-year-old boy is thrown out of the school he loves when his family can no longer afford the fees. He sneaks into the library and learns how to build a windmill to save his village from a famine.

Director: Chiwetel Ejiofor
Producer: Andrea Calderwood, Gail Egan
Screenwriter: Chiwetel Ejiofor
Distributor: Netflix
Production Co: BFI Film Fund, Potboiler Productions, BBC Films, Participant Media
Genre: Drama
Original Language: British English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 1, 2019, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 1, 2019
Runtime: 1h 53m

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