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The Boy Who Flies’ Director Got His Wings In New Zealand

THE BOY WHO FLIES.COM

NEWS RELEASE

JUNE 27 2013

The Boy Who Flies’ Director Got His Wings In New Zealand

Benjamin Jordan, the Director and co-star of the award winning documentary “The Boy Who Flies”, a story about teaching a stranger in Malawi to ‘fly’, was taught to paraglide in Auckland ten years ago. In 2003, Ben arrived in New Zealand from Toronto to face a fear and challenge himself. Little did he know that conquering his fears in the sky would inspire him to first, complete and document an 8,000 km skateboard journey across Canada, raising funds and generating awareness for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. Then to go on to make a book and film about flying his powered paraglider in a World Record breaking 10,000 km back across his homeland. Jordan used these documentaries to raise funds to send children from low income homes to camps, which he visited along his journey, sharing his motivational message about facing our fears and following our dreams.

July 6th marks Malawian Independence Day and the release of "The Boy Who Flies", a feature length documentary following Jordan's adventures into the heart of Africa where he instigates Godfrey Masauli's potentially deadly quest to release the weight of poverty, social taboos and self doubt, by taking to the skies. In doing so, Jordan is confronted with unsettling truths about his own racial and cultural identity.

Winner of Best Canadian Film at the Vancouver International Film Festival, Special Jury award at the New Zeland Mountain Film Festival, and part of the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour, "The Boy Who Flies" was uniquely shot on tiny, often concealed cameras, delivering deep authentic interactions with its subjects while capturing raw emotion seldom seen in higher budget documentaries. An upbeat, follow-your-dreams film at heart, Jordan's ‘Director’s Cut’ holds no bars, including critical dialogue on controversial topics such as the effects of western do-gooders in Africa and the acceptance of gay marriage in Malawi.

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Most recently, Godfrey Masauli delivered a powerful TED Talk in Malawi's capital city on the importance of dreams. Today, he and Benjamin are preparing European and North American tours to provide inspirational talks with motivational messages, and spread the word of their film.

Godfrey heads to the UK mid-August and will join Benjamin, late September, at North Carolina’s Appilachian State University to continue their tour and take to the northern skies.

Please visit www.theboywhoflies.com to watch the trailer.

ENDS

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