War Witch (2012)
"Rebelle" (original title)

Somewhere in Sub-Saharan Africa, Komona a 14-year-old girl tells her unborn child growing inside her the story of her life since she has been at war. Everything started when she was abducted by the rebel army at the age of 12.

Director:

Kim Nguyen

Writer:

Kim Nguyen

Stars:

Rachel Mwanza, Alain Lino Mic Eli Bastien, Serge Kanyinda

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 29 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Rachel Mwanza	...	Komona
Alain Lino Mic Eli Bastien	...	Commandant-rebelle
Serge Kanyinda	...	Magicien
Mizinga Mwinga	...	Grand Tigre Royal
Ralph Prosper	...	Boucher
Jean Kabuya	...	School camp coach
Diane Uwamahoro	...	Komona - Narrator (voice)
Jupiter Bokondji	...	Royal Tiger' sorcerer
Starlette Mathata	...	Komona's mother
Alex Herabo	...	Komona's father
Dole Malalou	...	Coltan dealer
Karim Bamaraki	...	Biker
Sephora Françoise	...	Butcher's mother
Jonathan Kombe	...	Kind policeman
Marie Dilou	...	Exorcist

Storyline

Komona, a girl in Sub-Saharan Africa, tells the story to her unborn child about her kidnapping by rebels and forced to join their bloody civil war. When she discovers a valuable intuition about the presence of the enemy, she is elevated as a witch and favored by the rebel leader. However, this special status threatens to be short-lived in this world of superstition and senseless brutality even as the ghosts of the war dead haunt her visions. However, when a newfound friend convinces her to desert, Komona finds escaping that brutal life is far from easy with its physical and spiritual consequences following her wherever she goes.

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Plot Keywords:

africa | girl | witch | civil war | 14 year old | 

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Genres:

Drama | War

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

Canada

Language:

French Lingala

Release Date:

1 March 2013 (USA)

Also Known As:

War Witch

Filming Locations:

Democratic Republic Of Congo

Box Office

Budget:

$3,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$8,714 (USA) (1 March 2013)

Gross:

$37,902 (USA) (22 March 2013)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Item 7, Shen Studio

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The official entry of Canada to the Best Foreign Language Film at the 85th Academy Awards 2013.

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Connections

Featured in The 2013 Film Independent Spirit Awards (2013)

User Reviews

War Makes A Child Grow Up Too Quickly and Brutally

I learned about this film "War Witch" because it was nominated for the Oscar in Best Foreign Language Film. It is in French and was submitted by Canada. It is not an easy movie to watch. It chronicles two years in the life of a female child warrior in civil war-torn Africa.

Set in an unspecified African village and country, Komona is a 12 year old girl who was forcibly abducted by rebels to be a child warrior among many other children in her village. She had a unique talent of seeing spirits of the dead, which gave her the distinction of being a "War Witch" and thus a sacred member of their band of rebels. Despite this, she would still live a harrowing life of constant violence and anguish. This would be interrupted by an interlude of love, but sadly it would not last too long.

We hear the story in Komona's point of view so we can share in her very thoughts through her narrations. Young Rachel Mwanza bravely and compellingly played Komona. We literally see her face age from the first time we see her on screen to her final scene. We see a child forced to mature beyond her years in the most brutal ways possible. As you watch this, you will be thankful you do not lead Komona's tortured existence.

The direction, screenplay, cinematography and make-up of this film are outstanding. The depiction of the dead spirits Komona sees are very effective in its simplicity. This film succeeds to bring the heretofore unknown hell as experienced by children in war-ravaged Africa into the consciousness of the rest of the world. Are you ready to see this hell?