Father!
Give me my radio.
Did you fix Mr. Bamusi's?
No, sir. Not yet.
Go and check the roof.
There are heavy cloud formations moving across the southwest...
-Morning, Papa. -Sleep better?
Put it on his bed.
-Good morning. -Good morning to you.
-Bad dreams again? -Yes, hardly slept.
William! You want Shabani to help you?
No, Ma. I'm fine.
Make sure you wash before you go inside.
Yes, Ma.
Thank you, Papa! Thank you!
Oh, my God! Where is my son? Who has taken my son?
-Look at the trousers! -It's okay. It's okay.
Who brought this man here? Doesn't he know that I love my husband?
Leave the boy alone.
Is he a doctor from Lilongwe or an engineer from Chimamba?
-It's not too big? -It's perfect.
Dear Father,
we thank you for all the blessings you have laid on this family.
Please continue to fight for us, so we may endure any hardship.
-In Jesus's name, Amen. -Amen.
When I was a boy, the elders sometimes hadn't recorded everyone's exact age.
But there was a simple test.
If you could touch your left ear over your head with your right hand,
you could go to school.
The first time I tried, I was too small.
I couldn't reach.
Do it.
That was for you to go to primary school, Papa.
-Of course I can do it. -I know.
Go to school.
One phosphorus, one more organic.
-You want an ox cart? -No, I brought the bike.
There's flooding in Mozambique.
Mozambique?
I've heard it on the radio.
Justina's relatives found her a job at the agricultural ministry.
Don't worry.
After university, you'll have no problem finding a job.
You'll do things even I didn't think women could do.
Another six months of this bullshit.
You know the president is even coming to Kasungu.
Democracy.
Democracy is just like imported cassava.
It rots quickly.
Mr. Godsten.
Mama said that Justina left for Lilongwe.
Yes, she's gone.
Do you need help here?
Not any we can afford.
Will you let me know if you hear of any work in the market?
Of course.
William, it's too dark.
We have a science test.
-Can I use kerosene? -There's not enough for studying.
Go and help your father plant.
Papa, what's going on? They're taking the trees?
Who said you could come to the meeting?
Gilbert is allowed.
And so? Go!
Go!
Listen to the chief.
Two thousand is not enough.
I'll sign.
These trees protect us from flooding.
Why do you think your father never sold them?
We'll make more money this way.
There's flooding in Mozambique.
Mozambique?
I have debts in Kasungu.
Then stop gambling.
Don't worry, Uncle Trywell.
I'll support you and your family, just like my father did.
You keep spending your money educating your kids,
just so they can leave you.
The smart ones will get the hell out of here.
And I promise you,
when I have enough money to go,
I'll give you my land.
I don't want your land.
Then my father was right...
not to leave it to you.
There's nothing wrong with gambling.
Look at how these rains have been these last few years.
We're all gambling.
I asked her why they would send a beautiful woman down here.
She started smiling like this...
So, what happened? What did you do with her?
You people let children in here now?
He's got brains.
So? How can I talk in front of children?
Which children?
What do you know about women?
I know absolutely everything you know.
What is it?
I told you. These batteries are dying.
You have more? They're all dead.
The game's starting. What do we do now?
Annie, is that you?
No.
Papa.
Should I take my fees with me to school tomorrow morning?
When the rains stop,
and we're sure of the harvest, we'll pay the fees.
But sir You were at the meeting.
They're taking down the trees.
The land could flood.
So if we put a few dead ones together...
-I had 5,200. -Is that everything?
William's schooling?
After the harvest.
He needs schooling, Trywell.
You want him spending time with those useless boys?
His mind is just like Annie's.
-Like my mother's. -Your mother's? That mad woman.
Was it madness when she came and built the extension? Making bricks all day at her age is what killed her.
And we still use it.
The children get it from her.
From my side.
Not from mine?
You're clever enough. You found me, didn't you?
That was just luck.
Just because you were in the marketplace that time.
We need to save everything we can.
There's no money for school fees.
Not right now.
I'll go to the auction house. I'll talk to Daniel Ngwata.
Daniel?
You haven't seen him for years.
Maybe he can talk to the estate.
How do you know this man, Papa?
An old friend.
For farming.
We can't threaten the president.
It's not threats.
We have to protect ourselves.
I don't know,
but why should we sit here waiting to find out?
There was a problem before, 20 years ago.
People ran out of food.
Chief fed them with what he could.
He saved a lot of people.
He'll make sure it doesn't get that bad again.
And if our harvest is okay,
we'll finish paying for William's schooling.
And university?
I don't know.
How did you know Papa was the man you'd marry?
Is someone talking to you?
No, I'm just curious.
There's no one for you in Wimbe.
I know.
Annie, we'll get you off to university.
You won't just be a wife and mother.
No one's been talking?
No one's been talking.
Thank you, thank you.
Clap your hands and cheer.
People, I'm saying N.U.P.
Government!
Say it three times.
And now I'll leave the mic to Chief Wimbe.
Father! Father!
Why don't they take him to a clinic?
He's safer here.
Would they come back?
We don't know.
You have to be a man now, William.
No one is coming to help us.
I need you to work with me on this harvest.
For every piece of grain we can get.
Yes, sir.
Thank you.
Is that all there is?
It's not even five bags. Sixty days.
Sixty to seventy.
With a year till the next harvest.
It's not enough.
We have savings.
It's not enough.
The government is denying a food crisis.
What?
They won't admit it's happening.
The corrupt government is only interested
in securing victory in the coming election.
We demand assurances from our leadership. Tell us who will support our communities when the food runs out?
There's an opposition rally in Nkhata Bay.
They're getting a truck. Another rally?
The opposition can put pressure on the government.
-Where can we get the best price? -I'll take care of it.
-Uh-huh. -You're going?
The government doesn't want us to make noise.
The opposition people need our support.
Make noise here if you want to make noise. Stay with your family.
We'll be back tonight. Tomorrow at the latest.
We need to make sure people know what's happening here.
Have you seen your sister?
No.
They caught you at school?
-You knew I was going? -Of course.
They expelled me.
-What's happening? -They're taking grain to Chamama. To sell.
It's a government truck. They're not leaving us to starve.
Buy grain. As much as you can.
It's government price, not market price. It's cheaper.
Aah! No, take the bike.
Take the bike.
Grain! Grain! Grain!
Stop!
Let's go back.
-Where were you? -Seeing a friend.
Which friend?
You think I don't see you sneaking out of here?
At night even?
-I've told you -I know.
What?
There's no one for me in Wimbe.
There's nothing for me in Wimbe.
So if there's nothing for me in Wimbe, why should I stay in Wimbe?
How can I stay?
-Who are you going with? -That's not what I'm saying.
You want to disgrace your family?
You don't understand.
What do you think you know that I don't?
Madam, I haven't eaten in two days.
Get out.
I don't want to hurt anyone.
They said to see the Chief...
but he's dying.
How much can they have? There were only two trucks.
Back in line! Back in line!
There will not be enough for everyone today.
I can only give you fifteen kilos.
I told you not to go!
-What happened? -I told you not to go!
-Where's William?
I don't know.
William! Where's William?
We can't just stay here. We'll need to open the door.
You'll have to run.
Can you help me?
Please.
We can have one meal a day.
We should decide which one.
This is crazy. Agnes?
Supper.
You can't sleep on an empty stomach.
William?
Breakfast.
Why?
I like breakfast.
-My God! -Annie!
You don't raise your voice to your father.
He left us here.
We could have been raped and killed. If it wasn't for William
Your father was trying to save us.
-There's no food! -And so?
You think I'd let you starve to death?
When I cut off my own arm to feed you,
then you'll know that you're my child.
Tomorrow, we'll dig ridges and start planting.
The ground is too hard. It's the dry season.
Nothing will grow.
Then...
we pray for rain.
Dear Father,
fight for this family.
-Bring us rain in this dry season. -Trywell.
Stop.
Eat, Papa.
If you give any food to that dog,
I'll break your neck.
Mama, what happened?
She's gone with teacher.
Did you see her? Did you see her?
No, sir.
Are you lying to me?
-Where did they go? -I don't know, sir.
Bring me my daughter, William.
-I don't know, sir. I don't know! -Bring me my daughter!
What's all this?
With electricity, we can make water.
All I ate today was pigskin from the drum.
Don't waste my time.
What do we do?
It has a motor inside. It turns the cassette tape.
How are you doing with those blades?
I'm almost there.
Okay, open the door.
It's a clever bird
It builds its nest To protect the others...
Papa.
I want to show you something.
Can you hear it?
What is it?
It's wind energy.
The blades make electricity,
and that powers the radio.
I see.
I want to build a big one. A big one could power a water pump.
It means that even if the land is dry,
we can still plant.
It can do that? Yes.
But to build a big one,
I'll need something to help turn the blades.
If I could use your bike, it would work.
The bike?
It would work. How long would you need it for?
I'd need to remove the wheels and cut the frame.
You couldn't use it as a bike anymore.
What?
Have you seen what's happening, William?
Yes, sir.
-People are dying. Do you understand? -This will help everyone.
Get this stupidness away from me.
-Papa. -Get this stupidness away from me!
Papa, I need to take the bike so I can bring electricity.
With electricity, I can make water. I can make rain.
Are you still talking?
There are things I know that you don't know.
Because you can make toys?
Because of school.
From now on, you get up with me first thing in the morning, understand?
You help me build these ridges.
Forget about school! Forget about the library!
I don't want to see you near this foolishness again!
I was wrong!
It's damn well time you learned how to farm!
Plow the land!
Do you think the Gule Wamkulu will come when my father dies?
Even though there's a hunger?
What's happening?
We have to go north while we still can. There's nothing left.
I need your help.
You're mad. A bike from where?
There's no one in the trading center. Everyone is leaving the village.
What if there's no food in the north?
If you're sure it will work, William,
why don't you just take your father's bike?
Why don't you just take it?
What's this?
We need to take the bike, Papa.
I can bring water.
-All year round. -You're a big man now, huh?
Do it!
I'm your father!
Come with us, William. Let's leave.
He tried to fight me,
with his friends,
for the bike.
Will you give it to him?
Of course not.
How much should I lose, Trywell?
Everywhere I followed you,
I lost something.
My parents,
when I came here.
Then the land.
Then we lost Annie.
You're blaming me?
I'm not blaming you.
I'm asking you.
When do we stop losing?
Nothing we have done has worked.
John said we'd grow tobacco.
Tobacco that looked like milk chocolate,
for 2,000 kwacha a kilo.
I'm sorry, Papa.
Sometimes it's dreams,
and sometimes it's just lies.
It's not a dream, Papa.
I'm not dreaming.
That's why he didn't leave the land to me.
He didn't trust me.
He never did.
He knew I'd fail.
Like I have.
You didn't fail me. Never.
I went to school.
Water?
Yes, sir.
From wind?
It can work,
if you help me.
Okay.
Have you got it?
Be careful, William.
Go to the chief's house and bring seeds. We'll plant vegetables.
We'll get through while we wait for the grain to grow.
Mrs. Sikelo wants to bring the new government's representative
for the schools district to see the windmill.
She says there may be a scholarship for a school in Madisi.
I think I should stay here.
At least till Annie comes back.
I think I should stay and help you with the land.
I've been thinking about this machine, William.
I've been thinking about how it will carry you away
and keep you here at the same time.
Because no one can see this thing and not think of you.
No one would want to.
Wherever you are.