Cannes 2024: On Becoming A Guinea Fowl Examines Family Dynamics in Times of Loss
Picked up by A24 for distribution, On Becoming A Guinea Fowl already had a certain standard to uphold before premiering at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival,
Though A24 doesn’t make just one kind of movie, it is clear that they have a particular eye and let their directors fully encapsulate their visions into a film. On Becoming A Guinea Fowl is a prime example of allowing a director to tell a story that only they can. This is extremely evident as Rungano Nyoni took home the prize for Best Director in the Un Certain Regard competition of the Cannes Film Festival.
In Zimbabwe, Shula (Susan Chardy) stumbles across the dead body of her uncle in the middle of the road late at night coming home from a party. As her and her family grieve the loss of the man they once knew, they also reveal the secrets they collectively kept buried.
On Becoming A Guinea Fowl is not only a deep dive into the complexities between adopting western culture and returning to family that operates in traditional ways, but also heartbreakingly realizing that you had been keeping family away for personal preservation reasons, when they are the ones you should have gone to the entire time.
Chardy plays Shula in a stoic and contained manner that makes viewers feel safe and calm in the chaos of the family’s grief. She adopts the habits of an oldest sibling, ensuring that things operate smoothly after a tragic loss. However, she ends up being the first one in which other confide in. After revealing that their late Uncle had sexually assaulted numerous members of the family, Shula is the first to offer comfort and compassion.
While this film details a lot of deep and heavy subjects, it is balanced by the occasional laugh and heartfelt moments. It is an eye opening film about how one’s culture can dictate so much of their lives in a positive way, but also keep them from being the most honest and happy person possible.
