The craft of child abuse, enslavement and controlling the innocent; this film has moments when the sheer absurdity makes you want to laugh and cry and scream concurrently.
31 Reviews
Abuse, Enslavement & Control...
Xstal23 May 2020
Overall, I am Not a Witch is a clever, funny, and provocative film which will linger with you long after its credits roll
edwardjones-231921 December 2017
I am Not a Witch is a hilarious and harrowing tale from one of the finest new voices.
I am Not a Witch is the debut film from Zambian-born director Rungano Nyoni. It tells the story of a young girl, Shula, accused of witchcraft after a trivial mishap. The phenomenon in Zambia relates not to a cackling Shakespearean witch, but a relatively innocuous kind. These witches change the weather, read minds, and would fly away if untethered. Purportedly. It is a ludicrous social construction used by selfish men to oppress women. Although the subject matter is alarming, the narrative mostly filters through the comedy of its absurdity. The humour is at times reminiscent of Sacha Baron Cohen's movies or Monty Python. It's probably the grandiose confidence of foolish characters. There is a moment where the whole judicial system is reduced to Shula's guess.
But a deeper meaning flutters behind the comedy, like the platform behind a racing train. Seen only in the flashes of space between the carriages. This movie certainly has a dark side. And the unexpected appearance of the cold reality almost grated against the lighthearted side. The dark truth appears every now and then like a needle scratched off a record. This is by no means a bad thing. It makes the glimpses of truth all the more impactful after you inevitably lose yourself in the comedy again. The reality behind the movie is no more forgiving once the credits roll, because it ends on one final needle scratch, and leaves you to digest the movie, and its relation to our modern world. There are obvious parallels between the African political system, or lack thereof, and the Trump Administration and post-truth media.
The deep truth underlying this movie needs to be heard.
The cinematography of I am Not a Witch is also excellent. The shots are very minimalist, giving a sense of realism and intimacy with the narrative, and there are dashes of creative flair, with lingering shots during the realist scenes.
Review from Student Pages: https://www.studentpages.biz/i-am-not-witch-review/
I am Not a Witch is the debut film from Zambian-born director Rungano Nyoni. It tells the story of a young girl, Shula, accused of witchcraft after a trivial mishap. The phenomenon in Zambia relates not to a cackling Shakespearean witch, but a relatively innocuous kind. These witches change the weather, read minds, and would fly away if untethered. Purportedly. It is a ludicrous social construction used by selfish men to oppress women. Although the subject matter is alarming, the narrative mostly filters through the comedy of its absurdity. The humour is at times reminiscent of Sacha Baron Cohen's movies or Monty Python. It's probably the grandiose confidence of foolish characters. There is a moment where the whole judicial system is reduced to Shula's guess.
But a deeper meaning flutters behind the comedy, like the platform behind a racing train. Seen only in the flashes of space between the carriages. This movie certainly has a dark side. And the unexpected appearance of the cold reality almost grated against the lighthearted side. The dark truth appears every now and then like a needle scratched off a record. This is by no means a bad thing. It makes the glimpses of truth all the more impactful after you inevitably lose yourself in the comedy again. The reality behind the movie is no more forgiving once the credits roll, because it ends on one final needle scratch, and leaves you to digest the movie, and its relation to our modern world. There are obvious parallels between the African political system, or lack thereof, and the Trump Administration and post-truth media.
The deep truth underlying this movie needs to be heard.
The cinematography of I am Not a Witch is also excellent. The shots are very minimalist, giving a sense of realism and intimacy with the narrative, and there are dashes of creative flair, with lingering shots during the realist scenes.
Review from Student Pages: https://www.studentpages.biz/i-am-not-witch-review/
Powerful and thought provoking drama
trpuk196814 January 2018
I'm disappointed there aren't more reviews on this superb little film, considering it's the work of a first time director who shows impressive talent and promise.
The good: excellent camera work which uses the parched landscape of rural Zambia to great effect, reinforcing the interior lives of the characters and moving the story forwards.
The little girl is superb in the role, one of the greatest performances I've seen from a child actor in a long time, she conveys everything without speaking, simply from her expression or body language. Incredible.
Plenty to read into the film, the three friends I went with had plenty to say about it afterwards and we all agreed the themes it explored apply to every human culture, not just an African one. the same behaviours and ways people delude themselves or accept ridiculous beliefs because they want to belong, the way human societies find someone to scapegoat and project on to that person all of the groups ills, all this is depressingly familiar.
My only criticism is this is again a film of Afro pessimism, there's precious few films from the continent making it on to cinema screens, the only ones I can think of recently are Felicite, Johnny Mad Dog. Both somewhat gloomy subject matter. it would be nice to see some films that offered a different perspective. Having lived and worked in Africa I know there's a lot more to the continent than child witches, child soldiers, FGM, HIV epidemics, diseases, starvation corrupt leaders and so on...
People get on in much the way they do anywhere, making the best of what little they have...
Beautiful, but uncomfortably confusing
smijatov8925 November 2018
This is one of those films where you will end up confused. Why, you ask. Well, for one you will not be certain of what is going on, or rather why things are going on. And secondly, you will not be certain whether you are supposed to feel uncomfortable throughout the film, or it is just a possible result of your own interpretation. It bodes that age-old question: what did the author want to say? Or in this case, the director.
I am not sure. Truly, not. Of course, there are traces of feminism here, socio-cultural critique, reclaiming Africanism rather than the post-colonial structures in place in Africa. That is all great. The story, however, is too rigid yet too vague. It doesn't make sense, does it? That's my point.
Acting is excellent, especially the young Maggie Mulubwa, who says more with her eyes than many actors can in any monologue or dialogue. Cinematography is beautiful, especially in relation to the ribbons that are allocated to the witches. Otherwise, the film's story is quite disturbing and disjointed. I felt uncomfortable throughout but was not quite sure if that was the feeling intended or just a mixture of discomfort and confusion as to what is going on.
Definitely worth a watch, but it is not something that would be easily understood or easily appreciated for its vagueness. Considering it is Rungano Nyoni's debut feature, I am sure she will easily build further on the fundaments she has established through I Am Not a Witch.
I am not sure. Truly, not. Of course, there are traces of feminism here, socio-cultural critique, reclaiming Africanism rather than the post-colonial structures in place in Africa. That is all great. The story, however, is too rigid yet too vague. It doesn't make sense, does it? That's my point.
Acting is excellent, especially the young Maggie Mulubwa, who says more with her eyes than many actors can in any monologue or dialogue. Cinematography is beautiful, especially in relation to the ribbons that are allocated to the witches. Otherwise, the film's story is quite disturbing and disjointed. I felt uncomfortable throughout but was not quite sure if that was the feeling intended or just a mixture of discomfort and confusion as to what is going on.
Definitely worth a watch, but it is not something that would be easily understood or easily appreciated for its vagueness. Considering it is Rungano Nyoni's debut feature, I am sure she will easily build further on the fundaments she has established through I Am Not a Witch.
Dark satire
gbill-7487716 November 2021
A little girl somewhere in Africa is accused by villagers of being a witch, and unable to defend herself, is sent to live in a colony of witches. They're essentially slaves, who at the whim of government officials, do manual labor in the fields, use their powers to single out thieves from line-ups, and summon the rain. It's a dystopian world with imagery that reminded me of The Handmaid's Tale, and indeed, both share the same noxious cocktail of superstition, cruelty, and the patriarchy.
While an exaggeration, the film is believable, which is part of why it's so disturbing. The other lies in the points director Rungaro Nyoni makes, none sharper than the tourists pulling up and seeing a group of people in captivity, being told they're dangerous witches held only in check by the long ribbons they're attached to, and, instead of expressing outrage, taking pictures with their phones.
The film is well made, with solid cinematography and a soundtrack that blends Vivaldi, Estelle, and traditional music (a dirge of which was wonderful). However, I found myself curious to know the backstory for the little girl or the other women kept in captivity, and wish this had been fleshed out more as drama. Not only is the title line never uttered, but the only time someone questions what's going on is a TV host who asks briefly, and after we see a dumbfounded reaction from the functionary, the film cuts away. There's undoubtedly a point there, one of complicity and how hard it is to question an entrenched system everyone is going along with, but it makes for pretty sad viewing.
While an exaggeration, the film is believable, which is part of why it's so disturbing. The other lies in the points director Rungaro Nyoni makes, none sharper than the tourists pulling up and seeing a group of people in captivity, being told they're dangerous witches held only in check by the long ribbons they're attached to, and, instead of expressing outrage, taking pictures with their phones.
The film is well made, with solid cinematography and a soundtrack that blends Vivaldi, Estelle, and traditional music (a dirge of which was wonderful). However, I found myself curious to know the backstory for the little girl or the other women kept in captivity, and wish this had been fleshed out more as drama. Not only is the title line never uttered, but the only time someone questions what's going on is a TV host who asks briefly, and after we see a dumbfounded reaction from the functionary, the film cuts away. There's undoubtedly a point there, one of complicity and how hard it is to question an entrenched system everyone is going along with, but it makes for pretty sad viewing.
Spellbinding, witty and satirically funny
muchiemix20 February 2018
I sat down to watch it, and wasn't expecting much from the movie. Little did I know that I was in for some big laughs. The story is beautifully written, and the acting was superb, considering many of the cast were debuting. The cast, specifically the young Maggie Mulubwa and Henry B.J. Phiri played their roles exceptionally well. I highly recommend this movie. If you have a witty sense of humor, you'll love this movie. Kuddos to Rungano Nyoni.
This is not a comedy--it's a tragedy
Red-12519 November 2018
I Am Not a Witch (2017) is a Zambia/UK/France/Germany production.
The film was written and directed by Rungano Nyoni, who was born in Zambia and moved to Wales as a child.
The movie stars Maggie Mulubwa as Shula, a young girl who arrives in a rural Zambian village and is arbitrarily accused and convicted of witchcraft.
It's hard for us to believe, but in Zambia there actually are witch camps, which are convict gangs for women accused of being witches. (I checked local news sources, and apparently this is true.)
The witches are usually older women, but a child is accepted as a witch. Each witch has to wear a long canvas "ribbon," which prevents her from traveling further away from the camp than the length of the canvas. (They're attached to the ribbons by a device worn on the back.) Little Shula is told that if she cuts the ribbon, she will be turned into a goat.
The corrupt government official, Mr. Banda (portrayed by Henry B.J. Phiri) is like corrupt government officials everywhere. He's fawning to his superiors, and ruthless to those under his control.
It's hard to say I enjoyed the movie, but my eyes were glued to the screen for the entire time. The situation was so outrageous that I couldn't believe that this is Zambian reality.
The movie is well directed and well photographed. It wish it were fantasy, but it's not. We saw the film at its Rochester premiere at the wonderful Dryden Theatre at the George Eastman Museum. It will work almost as well on a small screen.
Find it an watch it, painful as that may be. It's a window into another world.
P.S. I want to make note of the work of Nellie Munamonga as Police Officer Josephine. Josephine appears smarter than anyone else in the film. She surely doesn't believe in witchcraft. However, she has a job to do and she does it. You might think she would take pity on this small, frightened child, but she doesn't. She asks for orders, and she carries them out. After all, orders are orders.
The movie stars Maggie Mulubwa as Shula, a young girl who arrives in a rural Zambian village and is arbitrarily accused and convicted of witchcraft.
It's hard for us to believe, but in Zambia there actually are witch camps, which are convict gangs for women accused of being witches. (I checked local news sources, and apparently this is true.)
The witches are usually older women, but a child is accepted as a witch. Each witch has to wear a long canvas "ribbon," which prevents her from traveling further away from the camp than the length of the canvas. (They're attached to the ribbons by a device worn on the back.) Little Shula is told that if she cuts the ribbon, she will be turned into a goat.
The corrupt government official, Mr. Banda (portrayed by Henry B.J. Phiri) is like corrupt government officials everywhere. He's fawning to his superiors, and ruthless to those under his control.
It's hard to say I enjoyed the movie, but my eyes were glued to the screen for the entire time. The situation was so outrageous that I couldn't believe that this is Zambian reality.
The movie is well directed and well photographed. It wish it were fantasy, but it's not. We saw the film at its Rochester premiere at the wonderful Dryden Theatre at the George Eastman Museum. It will work almost as well on a small screen.
Find it an watch it, painful as that may be. It's a window into another world.
P.S. I want to make note of the work of Nellie Munamonga as Police Officer Josephine. Josephine appears smarter than anyone else in the film. She surely doesn't believe in witchcraft. However, she has a job to do and she does it. You might think she would take pity on this small, frightened child, but she doesn't. She asks for orders, and she carries them out. After all, orders are orders.
I Am Not A Witch creatively conveys female subjugation through magical surrealism.
TheMovieDiorama3 May 2018
At the time of this review, this film attained the elusive 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, so naturally expectations were exceedingly high. Did Nyoni's feature debut fulfil my thirst for perfection? Not quite. An incident occurs in a remote Zambian village which leaves the villagers to believe that a young girl is a witch, consequently resulting in her being sent to a witches' camp. Contemporary, captivating and surprisingly comical, it's an indie flick that certainly meshes several dichotomies within a tonally inconsistent narrative. Illustrating the modernisation of Zambia but retaining the superstitious and traditional views of an ancient world. The segregation of (typically) older women into camps positioned outside of society is certainly a bleak perspective into the apparent sexism that arises within various cultures. Male characters certainly have more power and authority over females who are seemingly attached to strands of ribbon as if resembling prisoners. It's an intriguing and illusory picture that convincingly enables Nyoni to showcase both her artistry and viewpoint. Enigmatic long takes, a commanding central performance from Mulubwa and gorgeous cinematography by Gallego, there's various aspects to adore in what is a technically flawless film. The utilisation of Vivaldi's composed classical music juxtaposes the chaotic traditions that are being upheld within this community, plus...I love me some Vivaldi. It's unfortunate that I found this film slightly tedious to watch, and that's mainly down to the narrative. The clashing of dark deadpan humour and surreal dramatic perspectives did not blend well for me. It was a disorientating experience fuelled by ambiguity and vivid imagery that just wasn't fully comprehensible. It does occasionally lean towards style over substance. Although, this is still impressive work from Nyoni considering it's her feature debut. A promising career is ahead of her, yet it just wasn't able to cast a spell on me completely.
beautiful
dianewitter3 May 2018
The potential for catharsis is there BUT
karolinaszin1 April 2018
There are several very interesting podcasts available online where the director explains how she found the protagonist girl (Benfors 'Wee Do) by accident. She also mentions that in some scenes, she wanted to deal with the film's central theme with humour, instead of forcing the viewer to feel guilty for laughing. It may be due to ignorance or lack of knowledge of the cultural context but personally, I did not feel the delicate line between humour and seriousness, between fairy tale and reality. For this very reason, I found these motifs overtly forced and simply too symbolic. At the same time, it is a movie with a really strong imagery and important message. The potential for catharsis is there all the way through the film but sadly, it just did not happen for me this time.
Spellbound
akira-hideyo18 February 2022
I'm in awe of its most basic hilarity of man's most primitive stupidity and yet at the same time paralyzed with unspeakable sadness of how this monstrosity of imbecilic rawness at its roots has destroyed an innocence of creation. Brilliant actors on this docu drama of a gem.
Odd, quirky, tragic and at times very funny.
Smallclone1008 June 2018
Funny, touching and tragic film about the oppression of women in an archaic patriarchal society. I wanted to really like this film for 2 reasons: It has the cinematographer from 'Embrace of the Serpent' and it was produced by Ffilm Cymru Wales, where I'm from. But the tone dragged it down a little. It was very funny in places, and I felt a little guilty for laughing as the subject content was a little disturbing. That made the film very odd. While odd isn't bad, it just meant it was harder to work out. It's a comedy tragedy in that respect, which is very difficult to do. The film obviously looked amazing though with David Gallego as DoP but just didn't click all the way through.
I just don't know
apjc26 January 2018
It was boring reading subtitles and nothing much happened to think being a witch was something you'd want to deny. If it raises questions about these cultures and some of the despicable things that happen to Albino and others accused of witchcraft in other areas, fine. But overall you'll only be interested if you're keen on African interest films.
A tough watch
adrianjwilson7 October 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I watched this all the way through although at times I wanted to give up because it was difficult to watch. I've noticed some have called it hilarious but I must have missed that. The TV described it as a satire. I looked that up and found part of the definition of satire is 'human folly and vice are held up to scorn, derision, or ridicule'. Well I can say then that this film is satirical. There was a lot of human folly exhibited by the authoritarian figure of the civil servant and the royal personage he visits and who advises him witches don't go to school. Going to school was the one thing that made Shula happy and that was taken away from her too. Everyone plays a brilliant part in the film. Especially Shula (Margaret Mulumbwa) and the Government Official (Henry B J Phibi). If you want to ponder on human folly, see this film. If you want a fun night, watch something else.
A poor girl
valadas15 September 2022
Warning: Spoilers
We are in Africa and what is shown here are African values, usages and mentality maybe somewhat exagerated. Following a banal accident that the eight year old Shula was accused to have caused, she is denounced as a witch and sent to a witch camp where she was treated like all the other members and tied to a ribbon connected to a pole and threatened to become a goat if she cut the ribbon to escape. There her supposed powers were exploited forfinancial gain even by a corrupt government oficial. This makes her to think that maybe it was better for her to try to escape and take the risk of becoming a goat. All this is well shown in the movie in a realistic and efficient form.
Remarkable Debut
Thistle-311 April 2018
I was profoundly moved by I Am Not a Witch. Many members of the cast are in their first film feature, and all are stellar, especially Maggie Mulubwa, who plays Shula. Her face is so expressive. Director and writer, Rungano Nyoni, transported me to a place I'd never been. It's rural Zambia. It's modern day (I won't ever forget that the first time we see little Shula, she has a t-shirt that says #bootycall). Yet, it's a cultural phenomenon that I don't know much about, witch camps.
Despite the dire subject matter, there are comic moments. Many times that I wanted to laugh, though, I also wanted to cry, because the circumstances were ridiculous to me, and Shula is caught up in a world where she apparently has no control, no say in her own life. She's asked to resolve disputes, judge others, alter weather patterns, even be on display, when all she really wants is to be a 9 year old, go to school, be nurtured. In the end, we see parallels to other, more familiar, stories. It's haunting.
Cinematography by David Gallego and Art Direction by Malin Lindholm are perfection. The images will stay with you.
Despite the dire subject matter, there are comic moments. Many times that I wanted to laugh, though, I also wanted to cry, because the circumstances were ridiculous to me, and Shula is caught up in a world where she apparently has no control, no say in her own life. She's asked to resolve disputes, judge others, alter weather patterns, even be on display, when all she really wants is to be a 9 year old, go to school, be nurtured. In the end, we see parallels to other, more familiar, stories. It's haunting.
Cinematography by David Gallego and Art Direction by Malin Lindholm are perfection. The images will stay with you.
Important film
sfdphd18 February 2019
This film blew my mind. I don't understand people who thought it was a comedy. To me, this was such a tragic film showing the treatment of girls and women in Africa and the abuses of power. The whole concept of witches was so bizarre but clearly just a way for people to take advantage of these women. They were basically taken prisoners and made slaves of the state!
The fact that tourists were taken to see the witches and pay to see them was just mind-boggling, plus the fact that they were used to decide who was guilty of crimes... I was in shock for most of the film. The little girl was clearly traumatized from the start and became more and more traumatized as she was used for other people's purposes rather than going to school where she belonged.
All the actresses were amazing. I liked how some of the adults tried to take care of the little girl to the best of their ability.
The fact that tourists were taken to see the witches and pay to see them was just mind-boggling, plus the fact that they were used to decide who was guilty of crimes... I was in shock for most of the film. The little girl was clearly traumatized from the start and became more and more traumatized as she was used for other people's purposes rather than going to school where she belonged.
All the actresses were amazing. I liked how some of the adults tried to take care of the little girl to the best of their ability.
Tragic and excellent film
Tile999 June 2019
I felt the need to post a review about this film. It was a moving and tragic film. It was far from comic and I found no part of this movie to be funny to any degree. I lived in Sub-Saharan Africa for several years. This film is nothing but tragic. There's no mention if it's a true story but I'd be willing to bet that it is. I very much look forward to seeing more movies from this talented producer.
A Decidedly Nonsensical Documentary Meant Only To Entertain Those Who Believe In Voodoo and Witchcraft
StrictlyConfidential3 August 2020
If I were to sum up "I Am Not A Witch" in just 3 words - I'd say that those 3 words would probably be - "Bleak" "Despairing" (and, yes) "Boring" (Extremely - Boring).
I found that this amateurish production had almost no entertainment value, whatsoever.
One of the most annoying aspects of this film was how obvious it was that when the camera was aimed at the actors you could tell they were all very aware of it being there.
All-in-all - I'm completely convinced that they were making up all of this story's voodoo/witchcraft nonsense as they went along. Yep. It was really that bad.
I found that this amateurish production had almost no entertainment value, whatsoever.
One of the most annoying aspects of this film was how obvious it was that when the camera was aimed at the actors you could tell they were all very aware of it being there.
All-in-all - I'm completely convinced that they were making up all of this story's voodoo/witchcraft nonsense as they went along. Yep. It was really that bad.
A Bright Witch Tale
EdgarST7 June 2020
«I Am Not a Witch» is the third film I have recently watched about the vicissitudes of a little girl, after the American movie «Beasts of the Southern Wild» (2012) and the Philippine production «Birdshot» (2016). All three are satisfactory products, with marked cultural and anthropological components; as well as fascinating and revealing contributions to the female children's universe in film, which has been dominated by the image of Shirley Temple and her variants for many years. The marginal African-American Hushpuppy, the Filipino peasant Maya and, now, the Zambian little witch Shula are victims without knowing it and each film is a journey that, for their short years, reveals their position in the world.
The three works are those to which we frequently turn our backs; and they are as fascinating or more ravishing than the highest flight of L. A. superheroes. Here what flies as high as can be is the originality and creativity of the filmmakers. Throughout their stories, girls confront situations in their environments dominated by violence, injustice and deprivation. Like Maya, Shula does not go to school and, of the three little girls, she is the only one who has nobody, family or friends: she has arrived alone in a town and the easiest way to get rid of her is to accuse her of being a witch. Shula is sent to a witch camp, but a government official sees her salability potential as a "poor little girl" and decides to capitalize on her "sorceress" image and use it in trials, rites against drought, and marketing eggs on television!
Deprived of all her rights, Shula is stigmatized in a way of which there is little knowledge, especially of the meaning of sorcery and witchcraft in African cultures. Although the camps of women accused of witches, who carry out work in the fields, have been denounced, the media do not disclose that, in this century, African children have become one of the main targets of accusations of witchcraft, with the consequent attacks, beatings and even death.
The film maintains a fair balance between drama and magical realism (no terror, if you expected that), through a development that recounts linearly, but with shocks, surprises, without that forced 'flow', so typical of movies that disguise the process of creation and try to hide that fact that we are watching a construction, not reality. The film has beautiful cinematography by David Gallego (the same cinematographer of «Violencia», «Embrace of the Serpent» and «Summer Birds») and original art direction by Nathan Parker: you have to see how witches are held by cords that come out of reels mounted on the truck that takes them to work in a farm... it does look like a parade float in a Rio de Janeiro carnival. The entire cast is effective and, above all, it was directed by an bright woman from Zambia and raised in Wales, named Rungano Nyoni, who was given her name by her parents because in a Zimbabwean language, "Rungano" means 'storyteller'. The prophecy was fulfilled.
It appears that the Los Angeles Film Academy is not interested in "ethnic little girls" (unless they are of Irish, Hebrew,Scandinavian, or little monsters of the Disney factory ...) Proposed as the official film to represent the UK in the Oscar feast, «I Am Not a Witch» was ignored, as happened before to the Philippine «Birdshot» and «Beasts of the Southern Wild». But don't let that drive you away. «I Am Not a Witch» is funny, it is fresh, it is contemporary, it is tragic, and it has 16 international awards in its summary.
The three works are those to which we frequently turn our backs; and they are as fascinating or more ravishing than the highest flight of L. A. superheroes. Here what flies as high as can be is the originality and creativity of the filmmakers. Throughout their stories, girls confront situations in their environments dominated by violence, injustice and deprivation. Like Maya, Shula does not go to school and, of the three little girls, she is the only one who has nobody, family or friends: she has arrived alone in a town and the easiest way to get rid of her is to accuse her of being a witch. Shula is sent to a witch camp, but a government official sees her salability potential as a "poor little girl" and decides to capitalize on her "sorceress" image and use it in trials, rites against drought, and marketing eggs on television!
Deprived of all her rights, Shula is stigmatized in a way of which there is little knowledge, especially of the meaning of sorcery and witchcraft in African cultures. Although the camps of women accused of witches, who carry out work in the fields, have been denounced, the media do not disclose that, in this century, African children have become one of the main targets of accusations of witchcraft, with the consequent attacks, beatings and even death.
The film maintains a fair balance between drama and magical realism (no terror, if you expected that), through a development that recounts linearly, but with shocks, surprises, without that forced 'flow', so typical of movies that disguise the process of creation and try to hide that fact that we are watching a construction, not reality. The film has beautiful cinematography by David Gallego (the same cinematographer of «Violencia», «Embrace of the Serpent» and «Summer Birds») and original art direction by Nathan Parker: you have to see how witches are held by cords that come out of reels mounted on the truck that takes them to work in a farm... it does look like a parade float in a Rio de Janeiro carnival. The entire cast is effective and, above all, it was directed by an bright woman from Zambia and raised in Wales, named Rungano Nyoni, who was given her name by her parents because in a Zimbabwean language, "Rungano" means 'storyteller'. The prophecy was fulfilled.
It appears that the Los Angeles Film Academy is not interested in "ethnic little girls" (unless they are of Irish, Hebrew,Scandinavian, or little monsters of the Disney factory ...) Proposed as the official film to represent the UK in the Oscar feast, «I Am Not a Witch» was ignored, as happened before to the Philippine «Birdshot» and «Beasts of the Southern Wild». But don't let that drive you away. «I Am Not a Witch» is funny, it is fresh, it is contemporary, it is tragic, and it has 16 international awards in its summary.
Excellent
franceslea-3844519 August 2019
Such an intelligent, thought provoking film. This is one talented individual. She has written and directed a film that carries great insight and reminds us how casually cruel society can be, caught up in its own limited beliefs.
Striking and Aesthetical
gokselll12 July 2019
It's really a good movie. Aesthetically designed scenes and dark-comedic, rational storytelling penetrates to the viewer's soul!
The true story contains its own symbols reffering ideo-political facts of the world and woman director Rungano Nyoni who shooted her first full-length movie, very succesfully treated those materails.
Please, watch the movie and think on "orange truck" and "white cordons".
Beautiful story telling film
crysangeles-963-41486027 February 2019
I can see why it won awards. This film hit me straight to the soul with Shula's story. I could not get enough of wanting to know all these people, especially the witches. Although the film leaves you wanting more, It does a beautiful job in fulfilling you with its shots and emotional cuts.
A disturbing indictment of society's justice.
p.newhouse@talk21.com29 November 2019
Warning: Spoilers
From a western point of view, this is a disturbing indictment of the way some will treat the least in society, because of groundless accusations, and of the ways others seek to exploit the least in society for profit. I do not pretend to understand Zambian spiritual traditions, but they are not at issue here; the issues here are people's readiness to mistrust, accuse, and abuse those who are unable to defend themselves.
Artful, funny and gently powerful - promising debut.
david-meldrum13 January 2019
This is a striking, haunting, sometimes funny and ultimately moving debut film from Welsh-Zambian writer-director Rungano Nyoni. A young girl finds herself accused of being the witch who caused a woman to drop her pale of water; as a result she finds herself living with other so-called witches, all older women. She, like all of them, has a giant bobbin of white ribbon attached to her wherever she goes - this controls all the accused, having been told they will turn into a goat should they break it and try to free themselves. A government minister knows a money-maker when he sees one, and uses the young girl as a kind of travelling show, predicting rain and identifying accused thieves.
Part satire, part feminist critique of patriarchy, part reflection on childhood, this film is never polemical but no less the powerful for it. The brilliant cinematography reminded me of 12 Years A Slave; though a very different film, this film shares the Oscar winner's long, lingering shots asking us - especially the white, Western observer, just what it is we are waiting or expecting to see. White characters are few and far between, and when they do surface, they're either bemused or excruciatingly patronising. The film feels careful and real; the director spent time in Ghana, living in official 'witch camps'; it's odd to discover, then, that the white ribbons are her own invention. They do make for some striking visual statements against the greys and browns of the landscape, but they may be a visual metaphor too far. They play a key role in the film's abrupt, potentially ambiguous ending which may frustrate or move in equal measure, a clever use of sound over the closing shot and credits emphasising that this is no rationalist critique of African superstition.
There is more - much more - to come from this young film-maker, which makes such a startling and confident debut all the more exciting, sacrificing little in tone, vision or aesthetic. As she does so, she runs the risk fo alienating the more casual Western viewer. But lauded at film festivals, she is clearly already an important and emerging voice with a flair for weaving gentle humour alongside subtle power.
Part satire, part feminist critique of patriarchy, part reflection on childhood, this film is never polemical but no less the powerful for it. The brilliant cinematography reminded me of 12 Years A Slave; though a very different film, this film shares the Oscar winner's long, lingering shots asking us - especially the white, Western observer, just what it is we are waiting or expecting to see. White characters are few and far between, and when they do surface, they're either bemused or excruciatingly patronising. The film feels careful and real; the director spent time in Ghana, living in official 'witch camps'; it's odd to discover, then, that the white ribbons are her own invention. They do make for some striking visual statements against the greys and browns of the landscape, but they may be a visual metaphor too far. They play a key role in the film's abrupt, potentially ambiguous ending which may frustrate or move in equal measure, a clever use of sound over the closing shot and credits emphasising that this is no rationalist critique of African superstition.
There is more - much more - to come from this young film-maker, which makes such a startling and confident debut all the more exciting, sacrificing little in tone, vision or aesthetic. As she does so, she runs the risk fo alienating the more casual Western viewer. But lauded at film festivals, she is clearly already an important and emerging voice with a flair for weaving gentle humour alongside subtle power.
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