I AM NOT A WITCH New Auteurs

Directed by Rungano Nyoni and beautifully photographed by David Gallego, this film is a unique social satire, set in Zambia, that mines the depths of humor and pathos with confidence. In the cruel and surreal world of I AM NOT A WITCH, nine-year-old Shula (Margaret Mulubwa) is a ray of light, exuding a strength of spirit that defies the constraints of custom in the Southeast African countryside. Early in the film, Shula is accused of being a witch and sentenced to live in a camp for witches. It’s the kind of fate one might expect and accept in a dark fable, but this is a film set in contemporary African society. Nyoni brilliantly defies expectations, boldly confronting issues of patriarchy, class, poverty and power with her debut feature film. – Jacqueline Lyanga