I Am Not a Witch

Set in Zambia, I Am Not A Witch revolves around 9-year-old Shula, as she finds herself accused of witchcraft after being found close to an incident in her local village. At a trial she is found guilty and is exiled to a witch camp in the middle of the desert. Presided over by a witch doctor, Shula is tied to a spool of white ribbon in case she uses her ‘magic’ to fly away. She is warned that if she tries to cut the ribbon, she will be transformed into a goat.

Zambian-Welsh director Rungano Nyoni uses satire to focus on the misogyny inherent to these accusations. Women who are branded ‘witches’ – unable to escape – are forced to assume this identity to survive, and here we see Shula subsequently exploited by the locals as some sort of oracle. I Am Not A Witch is a unique and captivating debut film from Nyoni that uses a carefully observed blend of deadpan humour and arthouse cinema as a way of exploring prejudice and corruption.