War Witch (Kim Nguyen, 2012): Canada

Reviewed by Jonas Johansson, at the AFI Fest 2012.

Kim Nguyen’s breakout work “War Witch” is the story of a child warrior in Africa, the movie is shot in the Democratic Republic of Congo where rebellion guerrilla forces fights against the government. The 12 year old child Komona which is played by the talented Rachel Mwanza tells us her story as the only one surviving the attack on her village from the Government. She is forced to join the forces with the Great Tiger and his soldiers who fights the Government, the Great Tiger believes Komona brings them luck and can spot the Governments soldiers in the jungle so Komona is forced to fight bloody wars at the age 12.

Eventually Komona gets enough of the violence and craziness so she decides to take of with her friend the Magician, the Magician in his turn falls in love with Komona and proposes to Komona who demands a white rooster in order to marry him. For a bit they escape the brutal reality of war and man slaughter for a more “normal” life which is hard to believe can ask exist after witnessed all the previous brutality they have been exposed to. And of course the brutality catches up with them eventually..