FILM Where Shula is going, she won’t need roads, but she’ll need Guinea Fowl. Courtesy: A24
WARNING FLAIR
food is a central component of the mourning period — but thanks to Nyoni and cinematographer David Gallego’s camera placement, we can see Shula is just driving in circles. Add to that a handful of offkilter dream sequences, which are revealed to be dreams only retroactively, and realistic scenes that still contain a mystical quality, and Nyoni’s images of entrapment become tangible. Uncle Fred is the reason Shula and the rest of the family are trapped — in history, in tradition, in obfuscation. There’s an inquest into how Uncle Fred died alone on that road, but what good is an inquest if the people don’t believe the findings? The most telling response comes when Shula discovers the body in the first place. There seems to be no remorse in her eyes, only riddance. But can this family rid themselves of Uncle Fred and all he represents? After the fact, probably not. The tragic swath he cut will stick to this
‘On Becoming a Guinea Fowl’ is a must-see BY MICHAEL J. CASEY
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ative to sub-Saharan Africa, the guinea fowl is a communal bird that doubles as a guard animal. Whenever a predator is nearby, guinea fowl begin to chirp in cooperation with other guinea fowl to alert all within earshot that a predator is among them. The families at the heart of On Becoming a Guinea Fowl sure could use a couple of those early warning birds around. Then again, this movie isn’t about being a guinea fowl but becoming one. We all have work to do. Written and directed by Rungano Nyoni, Guinea Fowl opens with Shula (Susan Chardy) driving along a desolate road in Zambia wearing a bejeweled headdress and visor — she looks like a fighter pilot out of a futuristic 1980s Cannon Film — and a large black puffy outfit when she comes across her Uncle Fred (Roy Chisha) lying dead in the road. We’ll later learn Shula is coming home from a costume party. But for these first
BOULDER WEEKLY
10 minutes, her unusual outfit goes uncommented on and strands the audience in the space between realistic and speculative storytelling. Nyoni doubles Written and directed by Rungano Nyoni, On Becoming a Guinea Fowl contains a mystical quality. Courtesy: A24 down on that liminal family like a shadow for years to come. their portion of the inheritance. For some, space when Shula catches a vision of Their only hope is not to rid themselves of it’s performative. For others, the wailing herself as a young girl (Blessings the past but to protect themselves from feels like real sorrow. Shula detests it all. Bhamjee) standing over the body of the future. If only there were some kind of She’s more of a fixer, the person responUncle Fred. Shula then calls her father communal warning system in place to sible for holding everything and everyone (Henry B.J. Phiri), who says he’ll come alert others when a predator was around. together. Particularly the young Bupe but doesn’t, tries to ward off her intoxiIf only there were more guinea fowl. The (Esther Singini), whose coping mechacated cousin (Elizabeth Chisela) and time has come to become one. nism is an unmentioned substance that waits for the authorities to come claim has her upright and fine one moment, the body. hospitalized the next. The death of Uncle Fred sets off the ritShula’s coping mechanism is represualized mourning period where the ON SCREEN: On Becoming sion. Or would dissociation be a better extended family congregates, cries and a Guinea Fowl opens in word? In one scene, Shula is out running grieves through all hours of the night, theaters March 21. errands — who cooks and serves the prostrating themselves while pleading for MARCH 13, 2025
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