This comedy drama has been described as the “best film of 2025” and “mesmerising by fans.
On Becoming a Guinea Fowl has also been awarded a perfect score of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.
It tells the story of a group of young woman who are nursing scars of sexual abuse.
The film’s synopsis reads: “On an empty road in the middle of the night, Shula stumbles across the body of her uncle. As funeral proceedings begin around them, she and her cousins bring to light the buried secrets of their middle-class Zambian family, in filmmaker Rungano Nyoni’s surreal and vibrant reckoning with the lies we tell ourselves.”
On Becoming a Guinea Fowl is an A24 movie written and directed by Rungano Nyoni.
It stars Susan Chardy, Roy Chisha, Blessings Bhamjee, Chungu Bwalya, Elizabeth Chisela, Maggie Mulubwa and Henry B. J. Phiri.
With the film getting 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, it makes it into the movie platform’s 100 club.
The critics consensus reads: “A vibrant exploration of family and social mores, On Becoming a Guinea Fowl marks another superb effort from writer-director Rungano Nyoni.”
A reviewer on Rotten Tomatoes has hailed On Becoming a Guinea Fowl as one of the best films of the year, stating: “The year is young, but it’s a certainty that when it closes this extraordinary film about trauma suppressed by familial and societal demands will be among its best,” while another awarded the film five out five stars and described it as “mesmerising”.
“There’s a quiet conviction to the proceedings, letting the hypocrisy and resultant upheaval speak for themselves, with a bit of humor to highlight and temper the dark absurdity,” wrote a top critic.
Roger Ebert awarded the film four out of four stars and said: “On Becoming a Guinea Fowl is an uncomfortable but entrancing watch, a tribute to shattering silence around family secrets and bucking tradition for the sake of empathy.”
Cinemacy’s review praised the director, stating: “Filmmaker Rungano Nyoni cleverly infuses dark comedy into an otherwise horrific situation.”
On Becoming a Guinea Fowl is available to purchase on Amazon Prime.