The Academy Award Winning Music by Prudence tells a self-empowering story of one young woman’ struggle who, together with her band overcomes seemingly insurmountable odds, and in her own voice conveys to the world that ‘disability does not mean inability.”
Prudence lives in Zimbabwe, and for a long time almost no one knew about that hauntingly beautiful voice. No one knew the strong, resilient woman that owned it. Born with a debilitating condition called arthrogryposis, they were unable to overlook her body.
I’ve never been to Zimbabwe; I was in Mali and in Uganda and it felt like this film. While there, amid all the chaos and poverty, I encountered wonderfully optimistic and loving people. The same is true of those featured in Music by Prudence. If ever there were a place where where you’d think people might feel sorry for themselves and give up, it’d be in a school for the disabled in one of the poorest nations on earth. Not a chance. The humor and hope in this film overcomes any sense of “whoa is me.” This story, not only of Prudence, but her band mates at the King George School, should inspire anybody who moans about their ongoing first world problems.
If nothing else, this movie should encourage you to roll up your sleeves, push past your first world problems, and get moving. It’s time to change the world people. It shouldn’t be so difficult; you have both of your arms and legs.
We’ll figure out an assignment that should get you thinking…
