Movie No. 106 (2013): WAR WITCH

War Witch (a.k.a. Rebelle) (2012)
Director: Kim Nguyan
Cast: Rachel Mwanza
In French, with English subtitles

The film is about Komona, who, at 12, was kidnapped by from her (African) village to become a child soldier. She was forced to commit a horrible act of violence that would haunt her in the coming years. Now 14 she has already known her way around a machine gun, but she unexpectedly falls for an albino soldier despite the ugly life of atrocities and hopelessness they've been living. This changes everything.

The film, which is presented (almost) as docudrama, is bleak and harrowing. The realism that it conveys to the audience is presented almost effortlessly. Thanks to the rawness of the portrayal of the lead actress and of important supporting cast.

The film, representing Canada,  was nominated as Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards early this year.

Rating: 3.5/4.0

Date seen: May 1, 2013


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