One Community, One Book, an annual reading program held by the University of Iowa Center for Human Rights (UICHR) will host the film William and the Windmill as its capstone event for the 2013 choice, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer.
Producer Ben Nabors from Group Theory Media will come to Iowa City to show William and the Windmill and lead discussions afterwards. There will be two showings of the film in Iowa City. The first will be 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 22, in Room 101 Becker Communications Studies Building on the UI campus. The second screening will be at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 23, at West High School in the Little Theatre.
Both film screenings and discussions are free and open to the public.
To view a trailer of the film William and the Windmill, click here.
William and the Windmill won the Grand Jury Prize in the documentary feature category at the 2013 South by Southwest Film Conference and Festival in Austin. The film focuses on William Kamkwamba, a Malawian teenager who made headlines in 2001 after building an electricity-generating windmill from scrap parts that saved his family and community from famine. Kamkwamba's invention propelled him to fame and resulted in his co-authoring the New York Times bestselling book and led to appearances on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Good Morning America, and a 2007 TED talk.
This year, UICHR is partnering with the Iowa City Community School District on the One Community, One Book project. Iowa City AM Rotary Club has provided copies of The Boy Who Harnessed the Windfor the schools. Students on all levels will read the book and participate in various related activities. An illustrated young reader’s edition of this book may be used in the elementary schools.
Additional One Community, One Book activities this year include a book discussion at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, at the Iowa City Public Library, a children’s activity building mini wind turbines at 1 p.m. Oct. 26 at the Iowa City Public Library, and a discussion at the UI Hospitals and Clinics Patients’ Library at noon Thursday, Oct. 24, in the 8th floor solarium of the John Colloton Pavilion. Visit the UI Center for Human Rights website under Education, then One Community, One Book for more information.
Now in its 13th year, One Community, One Book encourages community members to read and come together to discuss the same book selection with a human rights or social justice theme. Co-sponsors of One Community, One Book events include the ICPL, Hills Bank & Trust, University of Iowa Community Credit Union and the UI Office of Sustainability.
For more information, contact Joan Nashelsky in the UICHR at joan-nashelsky@uiowa.edu or at 319-335-3900.
The UI Center for Human Rights is part of the UI College of Law.
Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all UI-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in any of these programs, contact the UICHR in advance at 319-335-3900.