I Am Not A Witch (2017)

☆ ☆ ☆ ½

I Am Not A Witch (2017) – R. Nyoni

This is the first feature of Zambian-born Welsh director Rungano Nyoni.  It takes place in Zambia.  I have never been there and the events it depicts seem very farfetched but some googling suggests that women may still be accused of witchcraft in this country.  The film tells the story of Shula (Maggie Mulubwa), a young girl who may be an orphan and who is convicted of this crime because of circumstantial evidence (what else could there be?).  She is then sent to a “witch camp” where a large group of older women, all tethered to gigantic spools by long white ribbons, live and work.  They entertain tourists but also perform manual labour on a farm.  The group welcomes Shula and you sense that they could be and would be a set of surrogate mothers for her.  But instead she becomes a sort of diviner for local politician Mr. Banda (Henry B.J. Phiri) who uses her at line-ups to point out thieves and other criminals (using supernatural means, of course), rewarding her (and the camp) with booze and other gifts.  Nyoni leaves it up-in-the-air as to whether Shula really can I.D. the perps.  Indeed, there is some wry comedy at work here, particularly in the depiction of Mr. Banda who seems rather hapless but may also be an exploiter. Later he goes on TV to sell “Shula’s eggs”, presumably magical, and tries to sell her guarantee of rain to a local White farmer.  Obviously, the mistreatment of women and their exploitation is a central theme of the film.  Shula soon laments that she ever allowed herself to be called a witch and felt that she should have taken the option of becoming a goat instead (by cutting the ribbon), even if the goat would be killed and eaten.  It doesn’t rain, casting some doubt on witchcraft’s ability but this may be due to Shula’s recalcitrance.  Later, however, it seems perhaps that Shula really does make it rain (through self-sacrifice or malice by some third party).  I had to watch the ending a couple of times and I’m still not sure I fully grasp what happened.  Of course, the ambiguous and mysterious aspect of events in Zambia leave room for interpretation – and for such bizarre practices to continue (if indeed they still do).  I’ll be interested to see what this director does next.