How the enthusiasm of two young girls from Burbank resulted in “The First Grader,” the true story of an aging Kenyan man’s dogged pursuit of an education, being seen by audiences.
By Michael Aushenker / Special to The Malibu Times
“The First Grader” is the incredible story of an 84-year-old man’s quest for an education in Kenya. But the story of how the film, which screens Saturday at the Malibu Jewish Center with an introduction by Jane Seymour and James Keach, came to be viewed by anybody is an almost equally impressive study in persistence.
With a very limited run and virtually no marketing behind it, “The First Grader,” directed by Justin Chadwick, did not have much chance to compete with the studios’ multi-million dollar campaigns. However, one Burbank family of Arkansas transplants spearheaded a valiant effort to correct that. And it all started with a pair of pre-teen girls.
In “The First Grader,” based on a true story, Oliver Litondo plays Kimani Maruge, a former prisoner of war who survived years of torture by British soldiers during the Mau Mau Rebellion, which eventually led to Kenya’s independence from British colonial rule in 1963. Forty years later, when the Kenyan government finally establishes a free elementary school program, Maruge, 84, an illiterate, impoverished farmer, insists on enrolling. Two years later, Maruge stands before the United Nations lecturing on the importance of free primary education.
At this weekend’s MFS screening, actor Litondo and producers Richard Harding and Sam Feuer will be on-hand for a Q&A session while actors James Keach and Jane Seymour, champions of the film, will introduce the movie. However, the real stars of this particular story may well be sisters Allie and Olivia Shea, ages 11 and 8, respectively.
Their journey began in July 2009, when Allie and Olivia’s father, Darin Shea, an Internet technology entrepreneur, moved his family from Little Rock, Arkansas, to Burbank. Shea and wife Kari, who also have teenage sons Andrew, 18, and Logan, 14, wanted to support Allie’s desire to break into show biz.
Last year, after meeting producers Harding and Feuer through a mutual friend, Shea played a DVD of “The First Grader” at home.
“It had such a profound impact on the girls,” Shea said. “They could not understand how they had not heard of it, because we were such avid moviegoers. In turn, I was just moved by their passion for it.”
“It was just a great family value movie and it’s just fun to watch,” said second-grader Olivia, who, with her own first-grade experience fresh on her mind, saw the stark contrast between her class, with its computers and TVs, and the rudimentary elementary school depicted in the film.
“Once we saw the film, it was kind of a no-brainer,” said Allie, 5th grade. “We loved it and we wanted it to be seen by everyone.”
Conversations with his daughters led Shea to create the Shea Foundation, with the specific goal of getting the word out on “The First Grader.” Working with the film’s producers from mid-October through mid-February, Shea spent a nearly six-figure budget to place ads in Variety and billboards on Sunset Boulevard and near the Sherman Oaks Galleria, as well as sending out 15,000 screeners to members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Screenings were held at the Laguna Niguel Film Festival and CAA, as well as Palisades Charter High School and Sierra Canyon High School in Porter Ranch. At the screenings, Allie and Olivia introduced the film, telling their story of how they got behind the film.
Obviously, “The First Grader” did not receive any Academy attention last month. However, Litondo, whose age in the film was well advanced via the magic of movie make-up, garnered attention for his performance. Last month, he won Best Actor at the AARP Awards, while the Gotham Awards, the Satellite Awards and the NAACP Awards recognized the movie with accolades and nominations.
In recent years, Litondo has been more active as a news anchor and in voice work after retiring from acting in Kenya. “First Grader” changed that.
“As a Kenyan, it was extremely important for me to participate in ‘The First Grader,’” Litondo told The Malibu Times, “and play a key role in telling the Mau Mau Rebellion story. I was a young primary school student when the Mau Mau Rebellion was taking place…it is an important part of our history. The opportunity to star in this film was an honor and therefore was compelling enough to convince me to come out of retirement.” Litondo also praised at length Chadwick’s talent and leadership on the set.
“The First Grader” screens at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 17t, at the Malibu Screening Room, 24855 PCH at the Malibu Jewish Center and Synagogue. Admission is free for members, $10 for adults, $5 for students.