Filmmaker Rungano Nyoni’s sophomore feature, On Becoming a Guinea Fowl, earns the title of most unusual film I screened at AFI FEST. Her first film, the BAFTA-winning I Am Not a Witch, premiered in 2018 to critical acclaim and quickly solidified itself as an indie darling. Nyoni stays true to her roots and dips viewers back into the colorful and rousing Zambian culture in On Becoming a Guinea Fowl, which won the Best Director award at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. It is being distributed by A24 later this year.

What Happens

The film tells the story of a young woman named Shula who must navigate through uncertainty and familial expectations after the death of her uncle. On her way home from a costume party, Shula passes by a body lying untouched in the middle of the road. Upon realizing this is her uncle, with whom she has a complicated relationship, Shula does what she can to remove him from the road and preserve what dignity he has left.

The news quickly reaches both her immediate and extended family. Shula becomes enveloped in explosive discourse between the younger women in her family as her uncle’s questionable past comes to light. Sharing memories that were previously kept hidden within the depths of their subconscious, the women finally let go. Like a fire hydrant bursting open, they emotionally confront their confusing and conflicted relationship with the deceased.

Takeaway

On Becoming a Guinea Fowl feels like a return to form for A24, a studio that prioritizes art-centric films with a distinct point of view. It’s defiant and unapologetically absurd, some of the choices the characters make may even rub audiences the wrong way. Dealing with difficult subject matter, like sexual assault, should always be handled with incredible sensitivity, which is the case here. Filmmaker Rungano Nyoni finds clever ways to infuse dark comedy into an otherwise horrific situation.