ComedyDrama

On Becoming a Guinea Fowl

On an empty road in the middle of the night, Shula stumbles across the body of her uncle. As funeral proceedings begin around them, she and her cousins bring to light the buried secrets of their middle-class Zambian family.

Release Date : 2024-12-06

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : A24Fremantle UKBBC FilmElement Pictures

Production Country : IrelandUnited KingdomUnited States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Shula

Original Name : Susan Chardy

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nsansa

Original Name : Elizabeth Chisela

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bupe

Original Name : Esther Singini

Gender : Male

Character Name : Young Shula

Original Name : Blessings Bhamjee

Gender : Male

Character Name : Shula's Mother

Original Name : Doris Naulapwa

Gender : Male

Character Name : Shula's Father

Original Name : Henry B.J. Phiri

Gender : Male

Character Name : Uncle Fred

Original Name : Roy Chisha

Gender : Male

Character Name : Joseph

Original Name : Benson Mumba

Gender : Male

Character Name : Farm Club Presenter 1

Original Name : Chungu Bwalya

Gender : Male

Character Name : Farm Club Presenter 2

Original Name : Margaret Mulubwa

Gender : Male

Character Name : Beatrice

Original Name : Mary Mulabo

Gender : Male

Character Name : Widow / Chichi

Original Name : Norah Mwansa

Gender : Male

Character Name : Matron 1

Original Name : Hildah Mwanza

Gender : Male

Character Name : Matron 2

Original Name : Febby Lungu

Gender : Male

Character Name : Aunty Ruth

Original Name : Gillian Sakala

Gender : Male

Character Name : Aunty Catherine

Original Name : Carol Natasha Mwale

Gender : Male

Character Name : Aunty Linda

Original Name : Loveness Nakwiza

Gender : Male

Character Name : Aunty Bukata

Original Name : Bwalya Chipampata

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gossiping Woman 1

Original Name : Faustina Tembo

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gossiping Woman 2

Original Name : Justina Mudenda

Gender : Male

Character Name : Musonda

Original Name : Esther Yobe

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mapalo

Original Name : Sombo Kapole

Gender : Male

Character Name : Aunty Sampa

Original Name : Stella Njolomba

Gender : Male

Character Name : Coal Man

Original Name : Benson Mshanga

Gender : Male

Character Name : Boarding House Security Guard

Original Name : Aaron Sakala

Gender : Male

Character Name : Female Student

Original Name : Cathy Mazambani

Gender : Male

Character Name : Farm Club Kid

Original Name : Mwaale Chendende

Gender : Male

Character Name : Print Shop Owner

Original Name : Fred Mumba

Gender : Male

Character Name : Aunty 1

Original Name : Dinah Kayumba

Gender : Male

Character Name : Aunty 2

Original Name : Edwidge Lunkoto

Gender : Male

Character Name : Young Man 1

Original Name : Andrew Simutinta

Gender : Male

Character Name : Young Man 2

Original Name : Brian Muleya

Gender : Male

Character Name : Female Student

Original Name : Ethel Banda

Gender : Male

Character Name : Uncle Enoch

Original Name : Ezekiel Banda

Gender : Male

Character Name : Uncle Lucky

Original Name : Salati Phiri

Gender : Male

Character Name : Uncle Gabriel

Original Name : Geliate Mwale

Gender : Male

Character Name : Widow's Friend

Original Name : Grace Phiri

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ba Doreen

Original Name : Margaret Khonje

Gender : Male

Character Name : Subi

Original Name : Gracious Kalema

Gender : Male

Character Name : Chiko

Original Name : Patience Kalema

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jonas

Original Name : Samuel Tembo

Gender : Male

Character Name : Widow's Grandmother

Original Name : Malita Mulenga

Gender : Male

Character Name : Farm Club Storyteller

Original Name : Travers Merrill

Gender : Male

Character Name : Praying Woman 1

Original Name : Elizabeth Mubita

Gender : Male

Character Name : Praying Woman 2

Original Name : Dinah Mbao

Gender : Male

Character Name : Widow's Aunty 1

Original Name : Royce Mutentwa Habeenzu

Gender : Male

Character Name : Aunty Stella

Original Name : Queen Chimimba

Gender : Male

Character Name : Uncle VIncent

Original Name : Victor Phiri

Gender : Male

Character Name : Uncle David

Original Name : Henry Kapinga

Gender : Male

Character Name : Uncle John

Original Name : Johnny Mulenga

Gender : Male

Character Name : Widow's Uncle

Original Name : Mark Mbewe

Gender : Male

Character Name : Aunty Moyo

Original Name : Agatha Mweemba

Gender : Male

Character Name : Widow's Aunty 2

Original Name : Agness Phiri

Gender : Male

Reviews

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2024-12-07

"Shula" (Susan Chardy) is returning from a fancy dress party late one evening when she encounters a corpse on the road. A quick investigation reveals the body as that of her "Uncle Fred". She doesn't appear terribly upset at the news and neither does her partying father when she calls to tell him! Her evening doesn't get any better with the arrival of her drunken cousin "Nsansa" (Elizabeth Chisela) and when the police tell her they don't have enough vehicles to come and deal with it til the morning, she has to sleep in her car. What follows now sees us immersed in some of the rituals and traditions of a Zambian funeral, with grief - real and not so real - presented in a semi-comedic mix of ancient and modern behaviour. What also become clear is that "Shula" has a reason for her indifference and that this family, indeed their whole village, has unsavoury secrets to keep. What was curious for me, given the nature of the man's behaviour, was the extent to which the men were largely oblivious and the women almost entirely defensive of his true nature. Not of his behaviour in life, but of his reputation thereafter. He was clearly no great loss, yet his sisters grieve profoundly and lay the blame for his death squarely at his much younger wife who obviously hadn't looked after him properly. What's this to to with a guinea fowl, you might ask? Well it appears that they frequently serve as an early warning system for wildlife when predators approach, and so the allegory with the characterisation of "Shula" is clear to see as the story shines a light on established patterns of behaviour that still consider women as chattels. Aside from some engaging light-relief from the almost permanently sozzled "Nsansa", there isn't really enough development of the personas here and there's also not so much dialogue, per se. Just a great deal of plausible family chatter, angst and wailing amongst a community that treats death respectfully as the photography gets it's sleeves rolled up and takes us quite effectively into this bereft commune where there are spoils to be had, too. A lot of this is left to our own imagination and judgement, which is fine but a little lazy on the part of the writers who maybe hadn't quite the courage of their convictions when it came to delivering a more directly potent thrust, but it's still well worth a watch.