Rungano NYONI

Director, Script Writer

Zambia

Rungano NYONI © Gabriel Gauchet

Born in Zambia, Rungano Nyoni grew up in Wales, studied at the University of the Arts of London and now lives in Lisbon. Acclaimed since her debut in 2009 with 20 Questions and The List, winner of a BAFTA Cymru Award, she carried on with Mwansa the Great (2011), nominated at the BAFTA. Then, she co-wrote the short film The Mass of Men, Golden Leopard at Locarno in 2012. Her film Listen (2014) received the Best Narrative Short Award at the Tribeca Festival. Her first feature I’m Not a Witch caused a sensation, questioning the difficulty of individuals to free themselves from rules and norms, however absurd they may be. The film, written at La Résidence du Festival de Cannes, was premiered in Cannes and won Nyoni the BAFTA for Outstanding Debut in 2018. She is currently editing her upcoming feature On Becoming a Guinea Fowl.

Jury attendance

  • Member Feature films, 2023