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The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

Play trailer 2:23 Poster for The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind Released Mar 1, 2019 1h 53m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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86% Tomatometer 66 Reviews 87% Popcornmeter 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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The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

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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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Critics Reviews

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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 Full Review 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 Full Review 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 Full Review 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 Full Review 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 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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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 Full Review 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 Full Review 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 Full Review 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 Thalys R O filme têm uma temática muito boa, com uma produção e um roteiro bem encaixado. A obra consegue demonstrar toda a crítica em razão aos desastres ambientais, fome e política. A atuação dos personagens principais está impecável em razão dos personagens que foram apresentados. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 05/16/24 Full Review Read all reviews
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

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Cast & Crew

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Chiwetel Ejiofor

Director

Chiwetel Ejiofor

Trywell Kamkwamba

Aïssa Maïga

Agnes Kamkwamba

Joseph Marcell

Chief Wembe

Noma Dumezweni

Edith Sikelo

Lemogang Tsipa

Mike Kachigunda

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The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

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The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

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Movie Info

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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