Stateside Independent Screens War Witch Tonight
Award-winning film about child soldiers gets Austin premiere
By Jessi Cape, 2:37PM, Mon. Apr. 1, 2013
Premiering tonight in Austin is a Canadian film riddled with bullets and washed in emotional brutality. In War Witch, a young girl is trapped on the front lines of African warfare. Visions of hope offered by the ghosts of her present counter the horrors of film's noir to create a mesmerizing story.
War Witch's predominant terror is punctuated by tiny bits of beauty – possible redemption and young love. When 12-year-old Komona is kidnapped and forced into the role of guerrilla soldier, her methodic resolve for soul preservation allows her survival. As she becomes entwined in her budding relationship with another young soldier, Magicien, her nickname – War Witch - saves her, but comes with a price tag from the Great Tiger.
The intensity of film is eased by a lingering hope for peace and an expert plot that revels in repeatedly taking the story to the edge and bringing it back for a rest. Writer/director Kim Nguyen utilizes beautiful camerawork in the jungle-centered film of rebels and tragedy, creating a film that engages fully from beginning to end.
Among a slew of other awards, War Witch was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2013. Actress Rachel Mwanza won 2012 Best Actress at Berlin International Film Festival, and the film took Best Narrative Feature and Best Actress at Tribeca Film Festival.
Check out the trailer below, then check out the full film tonight at the Stateside Independent screening.
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Monica Riese, April 14, 2013
March 15, 2025
Stateside Independent, War Witch, Kim Nguyen, Tribeca, Rachel Mwanza, Academy Award
