Film Review: I Am Not a Witch

Imagine a life that where you are told everything that you can and can’t do, can and can’t think, can and can’t believe. A life where a mutual opinion subsides any truth. And imagine being too young to understand what right and wrong are, resulting in just being and existing in a world that pushes you about and dictates your future. It doesn’t take much to imagine such things because history is full of examples.

I Am Not a Witch explores the life of Shula, a young girl who is told that she is a witch due to the fact that bad luck happens to the residents of a village whenever she is around. Superstition gets the better of the situation as she does not deny that she is a witch and, following the laws and culture of the land, she is forced to be exiled to a witch camp.

This is a bleak film and a bleak look at how powerless one body can be when against an unforgiving and arguably ignorant society.  It's sparse, has barely any music to soundtrack the happenings, Shula has very little dialogue throughout, and there is not a great deal of character development – it feels quite matter-of-fact, and due to the oppressive rules within the society, what happens throughout seems destined. The story unfolds in a way that requires the viewer to try and piece together what’s happening before their eyes. The culture and rules clearly differ from a western society to the extent that some parts seem absurd. Sometimes you have no choice but to be submissive to the picture and hope that eventually the peculiar storytelling will become clear, just like how Shula must be submissive and accept her fate in the hands of the surrounding world.

The cinematography is beautiful throughout the film and there are plenty of gorgeous images that remain with you. Especially due to the amount of absurdities in the film, for example every witch in the witch camp is secured with a ribbon attached to their backs like a leash – an image that looks as if has been stripped straight out of a Beckett play. This results in a couple of darkly comic moments throughout to reassure you that what you are watching is in fact out of the ordinary.

However, there is a distinct lack of opportunity for emotional investment which means the film doesn’t really stay with you emotionally. It is quite a cold film which can result in the ability to brush off the facts. However, it is an intriguing film and intrigue and curiosity are what kept my attention. It gives off the vibes of a documentary more than an actual fictional story, just without any inkling of how much truth the story is based on.

That’s not to say there aren’t some lovely moments in the film, such as when a tourist finds Shula kept in a small container and the tourist thinks she can help by merely taking a selfie. And another moment where Shula rebels by locking herself in a coach.

It is an interesting film that deserves your thoughts towards the subject at hand and ultimately the lives that exist outside your own continent, however the deadpan delivery and minor characterisation may be a turn off for some.

Trailer

I Am Not a Witch will be screening at Broadway Cinema from Friday 20th October