On Becoming a Guinea Fowl12A

Directed by Rungano Nyoni | Zambia | 2024 | 1h 40m | Bemba w/ English subtitles | Starring Susan Chardy, Roy Chisha, Blessings Bhamjee, Chungu Bwalya, Maggie Mulubwa

Late one night, on an empty road, Shula discovers the body of her uncle. As funeral preparations unfold, she and her cousins unearth long-buried family secrets. Rungano Nyoni’s follow-up to her BAFTA-winning debut I Am Not a Witch is a gripping and evocative exploration of tradition, abuse, and resilience within a middle-class Zambian family.

Reviews

‘Nyoni weaves allegory with realism in a manner that nods to her Zambian and Welsh heritage, both possessing a rich folklore history.’
★★★★
Hannah Strong, Little White Lies

‘Writer-director Rungano Nyoni has a wonderful way of drawing you into a world and intriguing you from the start, gradually peeling back the layers of enigmatic characters to explore Zambian culture.’
★★★★
Anna Smith, Time Out

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We showed On Becoming a Guinea Fowl between December 27, 2024 and January 2, 2025.

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