English Letter Final

Dear Board Members,
It is common these days that movies are renowned for their brilliance; however it is rare that they are acknowledged for their inspiration. Some of these inspiring movies are represented in ways which identify themes such as bravery, hope and determination, movies like The Power of One. The Power of One, directed by John G Avildson, is a captivating movie which creates a fantastic and emotional appeal to the audience. The movie takes place in South Africa, during the time of apartheid, where a young boy named Peekay encounters many unfortunate events. He is sent to an Afrikaner school where he faces racial discrimination, as he is identified as an outsider, because he is English. The movie progresses through his life to show that when people come together change is possible. This and many other messages are illustrated through the inspiring characters, natural settings, and universal themes. These messages impact greatly on the overall ‘wow factor’ of the movie, which is why The Power of One should definitely be nominated for the film festival.
The central character, Peekay, goes through a challenging and life changing journey through racial intolerance and separation. He conveys many themes and important messages that impact his education and social balance. A theme Peekay displays is bravery and is established throughout his life. Bravery is portrayed in his character as he faces bullying and isolation at a young age. This occurs when he attends an Afrikaner school, where he had to show his bravery to Jaapie, the school bully. Jaapie was a highly racist person who bullied and threatened Peekay, several times throughout the film. An example of this was when Jaapie and a few of his friends urinated on Peekay, calling him names. A mid high angle shot was used to show three tall, strong boys urinating on Peekay whilst he was sitting in the urinal, the viewer could see Peekay’s face through the legs of the older boys, and a close up shot of Peekay was used to show the urine dripping off his hair. Peekay did not cry or run away; he was brave and sat there while this was happening, at the age of 7. This relates to the theme of determination. With no father, Peekay’s life was a challenge since the day he was born. Many of his close friends and family die throughout his life, leaving Peekay alone. Instead of giving up, he keeps going and in the end, he was happy. He was determined to live life and to change South Africa.
Peekay encounters many close and friendly relationships throughout the film. His friend Dumas was one of his closest. Duma was a Zulu, and Peekay’s ‘boxing buddy’. He demonstrated many important themes during the film, including hope. An example of this is when hundreds of Afrikaner guards are patrolling the grounds of Alexandria. They are searching for Peekay, and along the way, killed numbers of innocent Zulu’s. Peekay says to Dumas, “I won’t let this happen. They want me!” Dumas replies, “It’s not about you, it’s about the people!” This quote signifies the hope and pride Dumas shows to his people, and that he would not let anything stop him from what he believes in. It is truly inspiring.
The settings used in the film are natural and significant to the African culture, they show what Africa should truly look like, instead of painting a false image. The beautiful scenery used during the film demonstrates the positive side of Africa and is symbolic of the people, it doesn’t show the violent and racist side. An example of this beautiful scenery is when Doc is educating Peekay about nature; they walk into the sunset holding hands. A long shot is shown to enable the viewer to see the landscape of Africa. The settings shown in this movie are both moving and symbolic, which is another reason why The Power of One should be nominated for the film festival.
One of the most powerful quotes in the movie is that “Change can come from the power of many, but only when the many come together to form The Power of One.” The film The Power of One shows many valuable lessons and messages which are shown through the inspiring characters, natural settings, and universal themes. This movie will be nominated for this film festival.

Yours faithfully,
Madeline Gregory.