Synopsis
“A fable-like story about a young African girl banished from her village for alleged witchcraft, it blends deadpan humor with light surrealism, vivid visuals and left-field musical choices. (…) With smart marketing, Nyoni’s bold fusion of folklore, social comment, magical realism and her own family heritage could even translate into breakout word-of-mouth success akin to the tonally similar Beasts of the Southern Wild. Superstition around witchcraft is still rife in parts of Africa, especially in more rural regions, where eccentric behavior can lead to public vilification, exile and threats of violence. Often there are more cynical motives behind these denunciations, which offer families a convenient way to rid themselves of elderly relatives who have become a financial burden. The vast majority are women, and some end up in dedicated “witch camps”. (…) Leading a cast of non-professional actors, 9-year-old screen novice Maggie Mulubwa radiates a quietly haunted intensity as Shula, an orphan village girl who is denounced as a witch after a minor misunderstanding by an overanxious neighbor. (…) I Am Not a Witch feels like the birth of a significant new screen voice.” (Stephen Dalton, The Hollywood Reporter)
Around The World in 14 Films 2017, presented by Isabell Šuba
With the support of the British Council
Credits
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| Country: | France, Great Britain, Germany 2017 | ||
| Production: | Clandestine Films, Soda Pictures, unafilm | ||
| Cast: | Margaret Mulubwa, Henry B.J. Phiri, Nancy Mulilo | ||
| Format: | DCP / colour | ||
| Length: | 96 min. | ||
| Language: | Bemba, English, Nyanja, Tonga OV / English subtitles | ||
| German rights: | unafilm | ||
| Festivals: | Cannes, Sydney, Munich, Jerusalem, New Horizons, Melbourne, Toronto, Helsinki, London etc. | ||
| Awards: | British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) 13 Nominations |