Arguably one of the most talked about films on the 2012 international festival circuit was the extreme realism drama ‘War Witch' (aka 'Rebelle’), 2012. Written and directed by Kim Nguyen, the film is in French and Lingala and filmed on location in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Canada’s entry for Best Foreign Film for the 85th Academy Awards, ‘War Witch: Rebelle’ tells the story of Komona (Rachel Mwanza) who is kidnapped by Congolese guerilla soldiers. Raped, beaten, orphaned and starving, Komona must choose between death and survival at any cost. Becoming a rebel herself by aiding the soldiers with healing powers through witchcraft, she becomes friends with a young boy from their group. The two friends attempt an escape from the relentlessly violent rebel soldiers but are quickly captured. Her friend is murdered while she is sent back into hell while in their keeping. Filmed in documentary realism style it is hard to imagine this harrowing narrative as a fiction and not on site documentary. This is filmic realism at its absolute best reminiscent of ‘City of God’ (2002) and ‘Gomorrah’ (2008).

‘War Witch: Rebelle’ made its international premier at the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival where it ran in competition for the Golden Bear and where 12 year-old Rachel Mwanza won the Silver Bear for Best actress. The film made its North American premier at the Tribeca Film Festival where Rachel also won for Best Actress. The film screened recently at the 24th Palm Springs International Film Festival where it screened as an audience pick for 'Best of the Fest'.

Written by Vanessa McMahon

War Witch
Rebelle
Canada, 2012, 90 Minute Running Time 
Topics: African Interest, Coming of Age, War 
Program: Awards Buzz : Best Foreign Language Film
Language: French, Lingala English Sub-Titles

DIRECTOR: Kim Nguyen 
Producer: Pierre Even, Marie-Claude Poulin
Editor: Richard Comeau
Screenwriter: Kim Nguyen
Cinematographer: Nicolas Bolduc
Principal Cast: Rachel Mwanza, Alain Bastien, Serge Kanyinda, Ralph Prosper, Mizinga 

visit the film's official site here: http://www.rebelle-lefilm.com/