Perspective Film Series Presents:
I Am Not a Witch (2017), Directed by Rungano Nyoni
Sunday, July 23rd | 5:30-7:30 PM
2017 | (Zambia, United Kingdom) | 93 mins
This month’s perspective introduces audiences to ideas of spirituality that are often viewed with hesitation or fear within Western ideologies. Presented as majoritively satirical, this film questions the power of and control over children, the notions of female agency, and the abuse of influence.
At the same time, as Canada is a nation that is in the process of learning to understand Indigenous spirituality, we encourage viewers to consider approaching global notions of indigeneity. How do indigenous nations around the world develop relationships to their environments? How do they respond to outside influence? How have Western biases influenced how we perceive indigenous beliefs beyond our own regions and treaties?
FREE with $10 admission to Contemporary Calgary. FREE for members. Our galleries are open 12-5 PM for viewing prior to attending the events.
Sunday, July 23rd
Doors: 5:00pm
Screening: 5:30pm
FREE with $10 admission to Contemporary Calgary. FREE for members.
Synopsis: I Am Not a Witch (2017)
“The debut film by Rungang Nyoni is a surreal and tragic social satire on womanhood and voyeurism, set in contemporary Zambia.”
- Naomi Keenan O'Shea, MUBI, 07 SEP 2018
In a remote Zambian village, 9-year old orphan Shula is accused of witchcraft, faced with an unfortunate ultimatum: to live a tethered life as a sorceress, or to cut her ties with local tradition and be transformed into a goat that may be killed and eaten for supper. Battling with this choice under exile in a witch camp run by a corrupt government official, as the only child witch, Shula is exploited by adults for financial gain. Showcasing magic and misogyny, this film uses satire to expose the conditions of women in girls in a country with a history of witch camps.
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Director: Rungano Nyoni
Producer: Juliette Grandmont, Emily Morgan
Writer: Rungano Nyoni
Distributor: Film Movement
About the Curator:
Alia Aluma (she/her)
Alia Aluma is an award-winning artist, designer, and writer who works in various industries, including academia, philanthropy, and creative. She has lived, worked, and studied on four different continents, gaining notable experiences with the fashion and fine art networks of Hong Kong, as a muralist in Italy, a fashion photographer in England, and creative director, curator, and designer in Calgary, AB. With three degrees from top ranked global universities, Alia also devotes a great deal of time to education as a public speaker, guest instructor, or mentor in her fields of study: Art & History, Communications, Commerce, Film, and World Culture. Her global and enriching experiences have lent her toward a pursuit in philanthropy, starting the Aluma Foundation with her Father and twin brother, which is a scholarship foundation in Uganda for students at all levels. Among all of this, Alia also donates hundreds of hours to in-kind services annually.
