
            Kenya, 2003: A radio DJ announces that the Kenyan government is offering free primary school education to all. Maruge (OLIVER LITONDO), an 84 year-old villager, hears this and decides he wants to educate himself. Arriving at his local school, with a newspaper clipping about this change in policy, he meets Jane (NAOMIE HARRIS), the schools principal, and expresses his desire to learn. Her colleague Alfred (ALFRED MUNYUA), in an effort to get rid of him, tells him all pupils need two pencils and an exercise book.The next day, Maruge returns, telling Jane he wants to learn to read. He has a letter from the Office of the President that he wants to understand. Exasperated, she tells him the school already has too many pupils. Later that night, she tells her husband Charles (TONY KGOROGE) about Maruge. Cautious of his own position, working alongside the government in Nairobi, he advises her to fight the battles she can win.After cutting his trousers and turning them into shorts, Maruge returns to the school again. While Jane tells the school inspector Mr. Kipruto (VUSI KUNENE) on the telephone that she currently has five children to a desk, when Maruge re-appears, she relents. Alfred is reluctant, yet Jane is defiant, claiming Kipruto is not the head of the school. Allowing Maruge into her class, she seats him near the front after he admits his eyesight is not so good and begins to teach him, and her other charges, how to write the alphabet.Plagued by memories of his time in Kenya in 1953, when he fought with the Mau Mau against the British, it even impacts upon Maruge in class, when Alfred scolds him for not keeping his pencil sharp. Made to sharpen it, he breaks down as he recalls a time when the British tortured him using a sharp pencil brutally thrust into his ear. Apologising to Jane, saying it wont happen again, Maruge later educates his fellow pupils, patiently explains about the fight for land that he and other Mau Mau undertook and teaching them the word for freedom.Resentment brews over Maruges education. At home, people shout that he should stay away from the school, while in the playground, covert photographs are taken of him. Soon enough, the story that an old man is going to school hits the radio airwaves. Kipruto arrives, furious that he has learnt in the press that Maruge is attending his school. Jane tells him that Maruge fought against the British. She later learns from Maruge that the same soldiers killed his family.Desperate to keep Maruge in school, Jane calls Charles, but he advises her not to go over Kiprutos head. She wilfully ignores him, visiting the head of the education board to plead Maruges case. Her protests fall on deaf ears and Maruge is made to attend an adult education centre, where he soon finds himself surrounded by people with no ambitions to learn. He goes to see Jane, telling her he must learn to read because he wants to be able to understand the letter hes been sent. Refusing to go back to the adult education centre, Maruge nevertheless must say his goodbyes to the children. Yet Jane offers him a reprieve as her teaching assistant.As the story breaks, the press descends on the school, surrounding Jane and wanting to question Maruge. He tells the reporters that the power is in the pen. Nevertheless, his presence in the school is beginning to cause anger amongst the parents of the young pupils. One mother confront Jane, accusing her of seeking fame and fortune from all the attention, while another father proclaims to Alfred that the school is spending too much time on Maruge. Again, Kipruto arrives with the school in chaos, telling Jane that her special pupil cannot stay and that plans are afoot for the government to compensate the Mau Mau.Resolute, Jane decides to teach Maruge to read after school has finished despite receiving threatening phone calls. A delegation of politicians arrive at the school, keen to cash in on the free publicity surrounding Maruge, while secretly demanding that Jane cut them in on any money she has received. Events begin to spiral - people attack the school with sticks while Charles receives an anonymous telephone call, noting his wife is now out of control. Jane soon receives a letter that she is to be transferred to a school 300 miles away. Charles tells her that events surrounding Maruge are tearing them apart, explaining that hes received calls claiming she has been unfaithful.Jane explains to Maruge that she is being transferred, and then undertakes an emotional goodbye to the children, who all bring her gifts. Meanwhile, Kipruto introduces the class new teacher. Enraged, the children padlock the school gate and throw missiles at her and Kipruto. Meanwhile, Maruge travels to Nairobi, heading to the Ministry of Education, where he confronts the board on behalf of Jane, showing them the scars he sustained as a young man tortured by the British.Jane returns to the school, where Maruge is there to welcome her back. He wants her to read to him his letter, which explains he will be compensated for his time in the prison camps. As the film draws to a close, the radio DJ announces that Maruge the Guinness Book of Records holder for the oldest person to go to primary school will speak at the United Nations.
thefirstgrader-themovie.com/synopsis/
    

The First Grader


            Invictus opens with the release of Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) from prison in 1990. After being held for nearly 26 years on Robben Island for planning acts of sabotage against the South African state, Mandela's release also marks what soon becomes the end of apartheid in South Africa. A new election is held, which Mandela handily wins. For his oath, he gives a speech pledging to unite the people of South Africa. The current divide has largely divided the Afrikaners (white South Africans that came from Europe during the 17th century) and the various black tribes, the largest of which include Zulu, Xhosa, and Bapedi. The effects of Mandela's victory give rise to jubilation for much of the black population of South Africa, while the white Afrikaners and Zulu begin to feel that they're losing the country. This is punctuated by a squadron of cars carrying Mandela down a road, poor black kids playing soccer on one side, white Afrikaners playing rugby on the other. The coach of the National team, the Springboks, tells his team to remember this day, as it marks 'the day the country went to the dogs'.Mandela's head of security Jason Tshabalala (Tony Kgoroge) makes a request of Mandela concerning the team. He asks for more personnel to secure the president, the current team being made up of four blacks. Mandela's response is to hire four white former Special Branch members led by Etienne Feyder (Julian Lewis Jones). On first meeting, they clash due to deep-seated racial issues, yet are compelled to work out their differences. Seeing that he has no choice but to work alongside them, Tshabalala tells his black co-workers, especially Linga Moonsamy (Patrick Mofokeng), that while working together, they will watch the whites carefully.In his first days in office, the tension is palpable, as most of the former president's underlings (mostly Afrikaners) still hold their jobs. Worried that Mandela will fire them, they begin packing up their belongings, awaiting what they assume is the inevitable. Upon seeing this, Mandela holds a conference and makes an impromptu speech in which he informs his staff that he won't fire anyone who used to work for the old regime, and that they need to work together to promote racial equality throughout South Africa. The speech goes over well without any dissenters.Mandela soon begins taking pre-sunrise walks accompanied by two security personnel. While walking through the streets, a blue van, making wild turns while speeding, comes upon Mandela. While security fears an attack, it is merely a man delivering newspapers.We are soon introduced to François Pienaar (Matt Damon), current captain of the South African Springboks rugby team, made up of whites save for one black member named Chester, who misses upcoming games due to a hamstring injury. For many black South Africans, the Springbok name, logo, and colors represent the dark history and perceived racial injustice of apartheid and they thus refuse to support them, rooting for England instead when they play the Springboks. With less than a year to the rugby World Cup in 1995 (which South Africa is hosting), the Springboks lose more games than win, and are highly anticipated to lose early in the tournament to Australia.Having read that the Springboks' coach has been replaced (with captain François still remaining), Mandela begins to think in terms of how he's going to unite South Africa and put away their differences and sees rugby as the vehicle to do so. Since most Afrikaners fear losing their identity, Mandela aims to unite them by keeping the Springbok name (opposing the Sports Comission's unanimous vote change the team name to the Proteas) and using the upcoming world cup as an example of how to overcome South Africa's apartheid past.Mandela personally travels to the commission to change its mind, saying that by keeping their former colors/name, they can reach out to Afrikaners, who believe that Mandela is out to rid South Africa of their presence. This doesn't go over well with the commission, and by the time he leaves, Mandela has acquired only 13 votes for his proposal. Still, he sees this as progress, as those votes were enough for him to keep the Springboks name. His assistant, Brenda Mazibuko (Adjoa Andoh), disagrees with him, and wishes Mandela would concern himself with more important matters than rugby, a sentiment shared by others in the administration. Nonetheless, Mandela forges ahead with his own plans, which include inviting François to tea.An Afrikaner on the security team asks François how the Springboks will fare this year. Despite François promising that they'll do their best, the Afrikaner decides that they have absolutely no chance and tells the rest of the team as much. Inside his office, Mandela talks to François about inspiration and how to motivate under extreme pressure. He mentions a poem that kept his spirits up while he was imprisoned and François tells him he understands, mentioning a particular song the team sings before every match. While not directly asking François, Mandela implies that a win for their team in the Cup could have huge ramifications for South Africa by uniting Afrikaners and the other tribes that make up South Africa.In an attempt to convey Mandela's message, François gives his team copies of the South African national anthem, telling them that they shouldn't mumble through the words like they used to, but rather actually learn it and sing it properly. Most of the team crumples up their copies, saying they have no interest. Francois recants and says it is optional. They are ordered, however, by Mandela, to take occasional breaks from their rigorous training schedule, go out into the townships and teach rugby to the natives. At first, Chester (McNeil Hendricks), the team's only black player, is swarmed by the township kids, but soon the entire team is out there helping a new generation to learn rugby and instill national pride, regardless of ancestry. François reminds his team that life and the game implies change all the time and their team is no different.Mandela is found outside his home, unconscious. While his doctor orders complete bed rest to sustain his energy, Mary keeps his schedule open so that he can follow rugby. The tournament is soon underway and the Springboks surprise everyone by besting Australia. They continue to take morning runs, and as they win more games, their support by all South Africans continues to rise, and they continue to advance in the tournament. After a match, François proclaims that they need a break and they head to Robben Island, where Mandela was held. Standing inside Mandela's former cell, François is dismayed to see how small it is (barely covering his arm span), with a sheet on the ground to sleep on. Through voice over, the poem Mandela mentioned to François earlier is recited while the team looks out over where prisoners broke rocks as part of their labor while imprisoned.The final day before the match finds the Springboks taking another early morning run. This time they are joined by both white and black South Africans cheering them on to victory. Before the match, the security team is nervous, as it will be the most exposed Mandela has been since taking office. Extra sharpshooters take up positions on adjacent roofs while the rest of security take posts inside the stadium. A 747 jet, whose captain (David Dukas) announces full responsibility for his actions to the co-captain (Grant Swanby) (thus leading people to believe he might commit a terrorist attack), flies the jet low over the stadium, displaying the words 'Go Springboks' painted underneath. The crowd erupts in cheers.The final match is between the undefeated New Zealand All Blacks and the Springboks, which 62,000 fans have turned up at the stadium to watch. Chester's injury has finally healed and he's been cleared for the game. NZ has mostly shut out other teams in the tournament thus far, the closest score having been won by 20 points. Though the odds don't favor S.A., they resolve to do their best. The game stays tied throughout and goes back and forth, South Africa mostly playing catch-up whenever N.Z. kicks a goal for three points. In the end, S.A. is able to edge out New Zealand by three points as the clock runs out. South Africa wins 15-12.After the trophy presentation the streets of South Africa are ecstatic, with South Africans of all ancestries cheering the Springboks in celebration. Mandela's security team is seen trying to make its way through the crowd with little luck, but Mandela says that there is no need for them to rush. Their national pride, at least for the moment, seems to have been somewhat restored in the eyes of themselves, not to mention the rest of the world. The film ends with the final recitation of the poem, Invictus (which is Latin, meaning 'unconquered').Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
    

Invictus


            Ten year-old Sandra is distinctly African looking. Her parents, Abraham and Sannie, are white Afrikaners, unaware of their black ancestry. They are shopkeepers in a remote area of the Eastern Transvaal and, despite Sandras mixed-race appearance, have lovingly brought her up as their white little girl.Sandra is sent to a boarding school in the neighbouring town of Piet Retief, where her (white) brother Leon is also studying, but parents and teachers complain that she doesnt belong. She is examined by State officials, reclassified as Coloured, and expelled from the school. Sandras parents are shocked, but Abraham fights through the courts to have the classification reversed. The story becomes an international scandal and media pressure forces the law to change, so that Sandra becomes officially White again.By the time she is 17, Sandra realises she is never going to be accepted by the white community. She falls in love with Petrus a black man, the local vegetable seller, and begins an illicit love affair. Abraham threatens to shoot Petrus and disown Sandra. Sannie is torn between her husbands rage and her daughters predicament.Sandra elopes with Petrus to Swaziland. Abraham alerts the police, has them arrested and put in prison. Sandra is told by the local magistrate to go home, but she refuses.Now Sandra must live her life, for the first time, as a black woman in South Africa  with no running water, no sanitation, and little income. She and Petrus have two children, and although she feels more at home in this community, she desperately misses her parents and yearns for a reunion.After many more years of hardship and struggle, the chances of that reunion ever happening seem remote. But Sandra carries her father's advice with her wherever she goes: 'Never give up!'SKIN is a story of family, forgiveness and the triumph of the human spirit.
    

Skin

The Bird Can't Fly


            
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Tony Kgoroge

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