i am not a witch – ALLIANCE OF WOMEN FILM JOURNALISTS

I AM NOT A WITCH – Review by Jennifer Merin

September 5, 2018October 25, 2018 Jennifer Merin 0 Comments i am not a witch, Maggie Mulubwa, Rungano Nyoni

Masterfully bewitching storytelling, a superb performances by first-time actor Maggie Mulubwa and a fine ensemble cast, exquisite cinematography that reveals nuanced emotions in close ups and captures broad sweeps of the arid landscape, and outstanding editing skills that balance satire and serious social commentary have brought I Am Not A Witch into contention for Oscar gold as the UK’s submission for best foreign film. Rungano Nyoni’s cinematic style is unique and fascinating. I Am Not A Witch is a must see. And, it warrants a second watch, as well.

Spotlight

SPOTLIGHT 9/18: Rungano Nyoni, Filmmaker, I AM NOT A WITCH

August 31, 2018December 10, 2018 Nikki Baughan 0 Comments i am not a witch, Maggie Mulubwa, Movie of the Week, Rungano Nyoni, Zambia

Rungano Nyoni’s debut feature, I Am Not A Witch could be described as bold filmmaking. The story of an eight-year-old Zambian girl accused of witchcraft is both visceral drama and intelligent, powerful social commentary. Yet for writer/director Nyoni, it was simply a narrative she felt compelled to bring to an audience.

Reviews

I AM NOT A WITCH – Review by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas

December 14, 2017August 2, 2019 Alexandra Heller-Nicholas 0 Comments i am not a witch, Margaret Mulubwa, Movie of the Week, Rungano Nyoni

In a year when Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale returned with force to the public consciousness through the Hulu series of the same name, there’s something of its shared focus on ritual and patriarchal oppression that ripples through I am Not a Witch. But the debut feature by Zambian-Welsh filmmaker Rungano Nyoni is a distinctly unique affair, reflecting the cultural specificity of the African context within which her story is set, and a flair for powerful, political black comedy not wholly unlike that of fellow Brit Chris Morris (a point of comparison a few critics have made). At times sincerely moving, bleakly comic, infuriating and heartbreaking, I am Not a Witch is a shrewd interrogation of exploitation, power, gender and national and personal identity.