Featured Audience Ratings

• Greg S

  
  A 12-year old girl is abducted from her African village by rebels and forced to become a child soldier; when her military commanders decide she has magical powers, she is declared the army's "war witch." A romantic subplot involving an albino magician and his quest for… More
  A 12-year old girl is abducted from her African village by rebels and forced to become a child soldier; when her military commanders decide she has magical powers, she is declared the army's "war witch." A romantic subplot involving an albino magician and his quest for a white rooster briefly lightens this sad fairytale about the very real, very dark phenomenon of child military slavery.

• Carlos M

  
  A sensitive drama that deserves credit for exposing a disturbing real subject without trying to be shocking or melodramatic - and it finds a perfect balance between poetical mysticism and honest dramatic power, while surprising us with a delicate and involving love story.

• Walter M

  
  At the age of 12, Komona's(Rachel Mwanza) village is raided by rebels. She is kidnapped along with many other youths, and forced to kill her parents(Starlette Mathata & Alex Herabo). Afterward she is trained to be a soldier on the fly with no shortage on brutality except… More
  At the age of 12, Komona's(Rachel Mwanza) village is raided by rebels. She is kidnapped along with many other youths, and forced to kill her parents(Starlette Mathata & Alex Herabo). Afterward she is trained to be a soldier on the fly with no shortage on brutality except for the occasional sign of kindness like Magician(Serge Kanyinda) sharing cookies with her. When marching one day, she encounters ghosts who warn her of an impending government ambush which ends up saving her life. As word is spread of her extranormal ability, she is summoned to the camp of Great Tiger(Mizinga Mwinga), the rebel leader. "War Witch" is an unpredictable movie about the continually urgent issue of child soldiers in Africa, as two sides fight over the limited resources of an impoverished country. Overall, the movie's approach is more ethereal than visceral, yet no less effective.(Any strangeness can be ascribed to this being a Canadian production.) At one point in the narration, Komona says about an unrelated horrific crime that if she told us(and more precisely her unborn child) what really happened, we would stop listening which is not necessarily true. On the other hand, we can imagine the worst easily enough. At the same time, the movie dips heavily into magic realism, as I think Konoma can really see ghosts which also represent the guilt and pain which she would not otherwise be able to process.

• Nicolas K

  
  A remarkable story that even though it does not claim to be based on a true story, it probably is. It is the story of a 12 year old narrating to her unborn child the harrowing story of how she ended up in the rebel forces in an unnamed country in Africa and what she'd been… More
  A remarkable story that even though it does not claim to be based on a true story, it probably is. It is the story of a 12 year old narrating to her unborn child the harrowing story of how she ended up in the rebel forces in an unnamed country in Africa and what she'd been through. It is such a good film that without ever being over the top it manages to mesmerize the audience with a mix of great acting, exquisitely chosen soundtrack of African folk and pop music, extraordinary cinematography including the hair raising depictions of the spirits of the dead. It is a film that will not easily be forgotten.

• Christopher H

  
  Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language film, "War Witch" steps into the world of the Democratic Republic of Congo where the young Komona, played by Rachel Mwanza, astonishes as a kidnapee of the rebels and forced into the life of soldier. With a powerful… More
  Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language film, "War Witch" steps into the world of the Democratic Republic of Congo where the young Komona, played by Rachel Mwanza, astonishes as a kidnapee of the rebels and forced into the life of soldier. With a powerful mix of heartbreak, love, and lightheartedness, this Canada-made film not only brings up certain pertinent issues, but entertains from start to finish. Mwanza's performance blows you away, as she sets the bar incredibly high for nonprofessional and professional actresses alike, much more than say Quvenzhané Wallis from "Beasts of the Southern Wild" despite the five year age difference. "War Witch" is hauntingly beautiful with strong visuals to back up strong emotions, with gritty landscapes and impeccable depictions of the dead, painted all in white and looming over the main character. This film is the true meaning of a coming-of-age story and with that comes one of the best foreign films of the year.