On Becoming A Guinea Fowl is one of those films that's funny until it isn't. It's a film where the tone allows for moments to come across as humourous, never losing their depth or gravity, but slowly that tone sheds the light away. You are left in tragedy, befuddled with anger. Every layer gradually comes undone, and every second is integral to the pain that will follow.

Rungano Nyoni's bold direction follows Shula, a Zambian woman who discovers her uncle's dead body on a drive home late at night, and the events that follow as secrets slowly make their way to light. There's so much precision and honesty behind how Nyoni shows this, framed and blocked with a complex throughline, a clear maturity displayed in the allowance of scenes to flow as well as how well captured the tones are in the manners Nyoni shoots them in. There's one vital moment, a short shot, where a character reacts to something - and the shot purposely obscures their face, communicating everything through physicality and body language. It's an amazing choice, and one that feels seared into my brain.

Of course, moments as pivotal as that are reliant on the ability of the cast, and everyone is top-notch here. Susan Chardy delivers my favourite performance of the year so far in the lead role, with such a detailed and multi-faceted approach to her character that never failed to captivate. There are so many touches to her acting, particularly in relation to how she approaches different kinds of grief, that feel genuinely masterful. It's a performance many will praises for years to come... so naturally it's her acting debut. If she isn't getting endless roles after this, the industry is doing something horribly wrong.
The supporting ensemble are outstanding too - particularly Esther Singini as Shula's younger cousin Bupe.

The craftsmanship on display here as a whole is absolutely impeccable. Razor-sharp editing that holds when appropriate but holds no mercy, great use of an electronic and tense score, flawless soundwork, great use of location and sets, strong hair and makeup, amazing wardrobe... this film fires on all counts. And at the centre is that screenplay, that slow spiral into tragedy, that series of emotional shifts, that tale so devastatingly honest. There's a deep understanding of every thought these characters hold, what they share and what they hide, and the ways in which they share them. There's so much meaning behind each detail, taking everything past just the isolated moments and connecting it in a larger way. Be it moments of metaphors that land both diegetically and not, or running themes throughout conversations, or even just the way each cousin has a similar pain that has expanded into a completely different yet equally damaging way to deal with it... Nyoni has considered everything here. It's a thoughtful film, through and through, and an extremely nuanced one.

It should be no surprise that I consider On Becoming A Guinea Fowl to be a masterpiece by this point in the review. It's an absolute masterclass in all it sets out to achieve, so emotionally evocative and so painstakingly true, so well-captured in its efforts. I've yet to see Rungano Nyoni's prior feature I Am Not A Witch, but it's needless to say after this that it's shot up high on my list of priorities. What a phenomenal piece of filmmaking. See it as soon as you can, no matter what.