Born in Lusaka, Zambia, writer-director Rungano Nyoni’s family migrated to Wales when she was 9 years old.  The dark comedy-drama On Becoming a Guinea Fowl follows her 2017 debut feature, I Am Not a Witch, which won critical praise and a slew of awards, including the Outstanding Debut Film BAFTA.  

On an empty road in the middle of the night, Shula stumbles across her uncle’s body, setting off a series of events which uncover a conspiracy of silence within a traditional, middle-class Zambian family.  

The theme of hiding and not facing up to things is deliberately reinforced by the cinematography: much of the film is shot in darkness, and characters’ eyes are often not visible.  The titular guinea fowl has a number of meanings within Zambian culture, including healing, resilience, and the ability to alert a flock to danger.

Casting was done over a period of over nine months, through an open casting process to ensure a mix of professional and non-professional performers. The most difficult role to cast was the central role of Shula: Susan Chard was cast only four days before shooting began, too late for rehearsals, but her stellar performance is key to the film’s success.

A startling panorama of cross-generational alienation … Shula – and Nyoni – have a profound capacity for magic. Justin Chang, The New Yorker

Chardy is transfixing … Despite the dark subject matter, it’s a strikingly funny piece of work. Leila Latif, Sight & Sound