I Am Not a Witch is a gripping, award-winning African film by Zambian female director Rungano Nyoni. The dark comedy uses magical realism and satire to portray Shula’s (Maggie Mulubwa) coming of age in a state-approved witch camp.
Movie Snapshot
Genre: Drama, Satire, Comedy
Themes: Exploitation, Witchcraft, Tradition
Director: Rungano Nyoni
Country: Zambia
Released: 2017
Run Time: 93min
Plot Summary: I am not a Witch, a thought-provoking satire
Rungano Nyoni’s debut explores respectability politics, tradition, and the absurdity of state-sanctioned narratives.
The film opens with a familiar scene: a group of tourists on an excursion. They gawk and snap photos of government-sanctioned witches while their guide feeds their curiosity with manufactured insight. It’s a surreal setup that instantly establishes the film’s tone as a dark comedy.
Later, we are introduced to Shula(Maggie Mulubwa), a quiet young girl from an impoverished rural community, who is accused of witchcraft. After a ritual confirms her guilt, she is given the ultimatum to join a witch camp or transform into a goat.
Shula gains favour with Mr Banda (Henry B.J. Phiri), a self-important government official who parades her as a spectacle and asset. He exploits her unique powers, having her perform duties ranging from identifying criminals to rain-making.
The satire sharpens as the film highlights how condemned individuals, deemed witches, are simultaneously exploited for their perceived usefulness. When a concerned viewer sees Shula on TV and questions why she is not in school, she is sent briefly to attend. Shula is, however, soon yanked out to perform a rain-making ceremony.
When her powers fail to deliver, Shula’s deepening disillusionment leads to a haunting end.
Critic Review: Why I am Not a Witch is worth watching
Nyoni’s film is comic in tone but cuts deep in its commentary. It cleverly critiques the commodification of tradition, the systemic marginalization of women and how respectability dictates women’s social standing.
Maggie Mulubwa’s understated but powerful performance anchors the film, forcing the viewer to grapple with the serious undertones behind her absurd circumstances. Phiri’s performance effectively reinforces the central theme of the patronisation of women in society.
While the scenes exaggerate reality, the story is disturbingly familiar to reality. Overall, I Am Not a Witch offers a fresh and original exploration of ageism, exploitation, and the place of tradition in a supposedly modern society.
Watch on Showmax and Mubi.
