Additional information for The First Grader, which has a domestic theatrical release set for May 13, 2011. The film is being distributed by National Geographic Giant Screen Films and has not yet been rated. The First Grader has a total running time of 103 minutes.
PG-13
USA
PG12
Japan
12A
Ireland
PG
Singapore
16
Netherlands
M
Australia
M
New Zealand
12
South Korea
103min
Az iskolakezdő
Hungary
Der älteste Schüler der Welt
Germany
Ha'talmid mispar ahat
Israel
Le plus vieil écolier du monde
France
O Graduado
Portugal
The 1st Grader
International
September 04, 2010
USA
September 12, 2010
Canada
October 26, 2010
UK
October 30, 2010
Qatar
January 16, 2011
USA
March 10, 2011
USA
May 13, 2011
USA
May 19, 2011
USA
May 20, 2011
Canada
June 24, 2011
Ireland
June 24, 2011
UK
July 30, 2011
Japan
August 18, 2011
Netherlands
September 01, 2011
Singapore
September 16, 2011
France
September 16, 2011
Germany
October 17, 2011
UK
November 03, 2011
Brazil
November 10, 2011
Hong Kong
October 11, 2012
Israel
November 23, 2012
Taiwan
December 09, 2012
Hungary
No taglines exist for this title.
The true story of an 84 year-old Kenyan villager and ex Mau Mau freedom fighter who fights for his right to go to school for the first time to get the education he could never afford.
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/
Justin Chadwick
Director(s)
Ann Peacock
Writer(s)
Nicola Blacker
associate producer
Sam Feuer
producer
Richard Harding
producer
Trevor Ingman
co-producer
Norman Merry
executive producer
Joe Oppenheimer
executive producer
Ed Rubin
associate producer
Anant Singh
executive producer
Helena Spring
executive producer
David M. Thompson
producer
Denise Tran
associate producer: Sixth Sense
Lauren Van Rensburg
post production producer: Johannesburg
Mario Zvan
producer: Kenya
Producer(s)
Alex Heffes
Composer(s)
Jane Obinchu
Naomie Harris
Kimani N'gan'ga Maruge
Oliver Litondo
Charles Obinchu
Tony Kgoroge
Teacher Alfred
Alfred Munyua
Teacher Elizabeth
Shoki Mokgapa
Mr. Kipruto (as Vusimizi Michael Kunene)
Vusi Kunene
Agnes
Agnes Simaloi
Kamau Chege
Kamau Mbaya
Young Maruge's wife
Emily Njoki
Young Maruge
Lwanda Jawar
DJ Masha
Dan 'Churchill' Ndambuki
Maruge's Daughter
Hannah Wacera
Maruge's Baby Son
John Kimani
DJ's PA
Macharia Kamau
Boie
Abubakar Mwenda
Old Codger
Tom Gitau
Old Codger
Watson Mbirua
Old Codger
Shadrack Murimi Gachuhi
Old Codger
Mwenga Matilika
Teacher Katherine
Kathyline Ndogori
David Chege (as Israel Sipho Makoe)
Israel Makoe
Mother Wanjiku
Shirlen Wanjari
Mother Benta
Benta Ochieng
Jonas
Peter Emera Pious
Joel
Joel Rempesa
Peter
Peter Marias
Village Woman
Eunice Tekero
Village Girl
Jackie Musimbi
Young Mother
Susan Sisian
Maasai Store Owner
Kurenda Ole Kureya
Officer Johnson (as Nick Redding)
Nick Reding
Mau Mau Oath Giver
Nick Ndichu
Mau Mau Leader
Paul Mbogo
Mau Mau Warriors
Zingaro Percussions
Plantation Owner's Wife
Jeannette Elsworth
John Gambe
Kamau Ndungu
Stall Owner
Mary Mbirua
Stall Owner
Catherine Njiru
Education Secretary
Mumbi Kaigwa
Adult School Teacher
Charles Ouda
Director(s)
Writer(s)
associate producer
Sam Feuer
producer
Richard Harding
producer
Trevor Ingman
co-producer
Norman Merry
executive producer
Joe Oppenheimer
executive producer
Ed Rubin
associate producer
Anant Singh
executive producer
Helena Spring
executive producer
David M. Thompson
producer
Denise Tran
associate producer: Sixth Sense
Lauren Van Rensburg
post production producer: Johannesburg
Mario Zvan
producer: Kenya
Producer(s)
Composer(s)
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