I AM NOT A WITCH
Drama | English, Nyanja, Bemba, Tonga (Tonga Islands) | 93 min
In Zambia, 8-year old orphan Shula is accused of witchcraft and exiled to a witch camp run by a corrupt government official. As the only child witch, Shula is exploited by adults for financial gain and forced to decide whether to resign herself to life on the camp, or take a risk for freedom.
DIRECTOR Rungano Nyoni
CAST Maggie Mulubwa, Nellie Munamonga, Nancy Murilo, Henry B.J. Phiri
COUNTRY OF PRODUCTION United Kingdom, France, Germany, Zambia
“comic, tragic – and captivatingly beautiful”
★★★★
— THE GUARDIAN, MARK KERMODE
“An arresting debut from Rungano Nyoni”
— SCREEN DAILY
“A sharp-edged, magical-realist journey”
★★★★
— TIME OUT
“I Am Not a Witch is an arresting exploration of gender, superstition, and identity wrapped up in a magical realist ribbon.”
— AWFJ WOMEN ON FILM
FESTIVALS + AWARDS
Cannes Film Festival, 2017
Official Selection, Director’s Fortnight
TIFF, 2017
Official Selection
Stockholm International Film Festival, 2017
Winner: Best First Film
British Independent Film Awards, 2017
Winner- Best Director, The Douglas Hickox Award (Best Debut Director)
British Independent Film Awards, 2017
Nominee- Best Production Design, Best Breakthrough Producer, Best Screenplay, Best Sound, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Actress, Best Make-Up & Hair Design, Best Music, Debut Screenwriter, Best British Independent Film
BFI London Film Festival, 2017
Official Selection
BAFTA Awards, 2018
Winner, Outstanding Debut by a British Writer
London Critics Circle Film Awards, 2018
Nominee, The Philip French Award for Breakthrough British/Irish Filmmaker
Independent Spirit Awards, 2018
Nominee: Best International Film
Sundance Film Festival, 2018
Official Selection
International Film Festival Rotterdam, 2018
Official Selection
Sarasota Film Festival, 2018
Winner: Best Narrative Feature