Screening of "The First Grader" at USA Film Festival

USA Film Festival has graciously provided Women in Film.Dallas with a small amount of tickets to offer for sale to this screening; all proceeds directly benefit WIF.D!

Set in a mountain village in Kenya, Director Justin Chadwick and screenwriter Ann Peacock (pictured) present the remarkable and uplifting true story of an Maruge (Oliver Litondo), an 84-year-old farmer and veteran of the Mau Mau uprising of the 1950s who decided to go to school when the country introduced universal education.  A man who has suffered a lifetime of loss and degradation, Maruge is determined to seize his last chance to learn to read and write by enrolling in a class populated by six-year-olds.  The school's authorities are reluctant to admit Maruge, partly due to limited resources, but also party due to tribal rivalries that continue to haunt the young nation.  Moved by Maruge's unyielding determination to learn, young teacher Jan Obinchu (Naomie Harris) becomes his ally in a fight to overcome threats, bureaucratic red tape and the burdens of the colonial past.  A stirring tale of dignity, survival, and reconciliation, Chadwick's film is certain to stir the hearts of viewers.  103 mins.

Filmmakers will be in attendance.