I Am Not A Witch + introduction

Zambian-born Welsh director Rungano Nyoni is set to make her mark on British cinema with her groundbreaking first feature, I Am Not a Witch. Sharply satirical and boldly provocative, the film garnered incredible praise from audiences and critics alike at the Cannes 2017 Directors’ Fortnight. 

When eight-year-old Shula turns up alone and unannounced in a rural Zambian village, the locals are suspicious. A minor incident escalates to a full-blown witch trial, where she is found guilty and sentenced to life on a state-run witch camp. There, she is tethered to a long white ribbon and told that if she ever tries to run away, she will be transformed into a goat. As the days pass, Shula begins to settle into her new community, but a threat looms on the horizon. Soon she is forced to make a difficult decision – whether to resign herself to life on the camp or take a risk for freedom. 

At times moving, often funny and occasionally surreal, I Am Not a Witch offers spellbinding storytelling with flashes of anarchic humor. Audacious and unforgettable, it showcases Rungano Nyoni as a fresh and fearless new voice in British film. 

Introduction: 
This screening will be introduced by Will Kranendonk, who will shed light on the films’ critical perspective on the legacy of colonialism, taking from her current research on the witch in children's literature and the portrayal of the witch in feminist and intersectional literature on colonialism, drawing on the theories of Italian and Marxist scholar Sylvia Federici.   

About Will Kranendonk: 
Will Kranendonk (1994) is a writer, poet, and screenwriter for both children and adults. Last year, her debut novel 'De Geliefden' was published by Van Oorschot Publishers, which received good reviews from the press. In 2022, her first children's book 'Camping De Grote Walvis' was also published by Billy Bones Publishers, which was praised for its humorous stories and diverse characters. Her previous work has appeared in publications such as Tirade, DW B, and Liegend Konijn. She has performed at many literary festivals and has won several awards for her poetry and stories, such as the Turing Poetry Competition. Currently, she is working on her next novel, for which she received a grant from the Dutch Foundation for Literature, writing another children's book, and pursuing a PhD on witches in children's literature at Tilburg University. In October 2023, the graphic novel 'Vis' will be published by Menlu Publishers, which she co-created with illustrator Irene Schiphorst.