Film Reviews
Emmanuel's Gift (2005)—Ghanaian
I watched this film because the DVD blurb by Oprah Winfrey (who narrates a good portion of the film) encourages "every parent to take their children to see this movie." And how many films have you watched that are set in Ghana?! Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah was born with a deformed leg and suffered all the disadvantages and humiliations you would expect in a third world country. His father deserted the family, then his mother died, but through perseverance of body, mind, and spirit, Emmanuel became a national hero as a champion of the disabled in Ghana. His initial feat was to ride a bike across Ghana on one leg to draw attention to the plight of the disabled; the rest of the documentary follows how this snowballed onto an international stage including visits with Kofi Annan (a Ghanaian), Robin Williams, and to even more remarkable athletic accomplishments. Emmanuel's "gift" involves a double entendre; he had his leg amputated and replaced by a prosthesis at Loma Linda Hospital in California, and of course his incredible story is a gift to all of us. Oprah was right; see this wonderful documentary about an incredible human being.
