The Aurora Film Society brings “On Becoming a Guinea Fowl” to the screen at The Venue (21 S. Broadway) on May 20th at 7pm.
This black comedy/drama opens with a Zambian woman, Shula, finding her Uncle Fred’s body on an empty road in the middle of the night. As funeral proceedings begin around them, she and her cousins bring to light the buried secrets of their middle-class Zambian family – wounds the elders would much rather ignore.
Filmmaker Rungano Nyoni’s tells a surreal and vibrant story about reckoning with the lies we tell ourselves and about the silence that keeps families from breaking, but only in superficial ways, and with devastating consequences. This film while dark has very funny moments as it explores death and cultural rituals, the conflict between the Fred’s sisters who mourn him and the nieces who were abused by him, as well as the class issues between Fred’s family of origin and the family of his very young wife. This beautifully shot modern fable peels back layers of silence and shame and comments on the very real cost of being vocal in a society that rewards silence.
Join us on May 20th at The Venue. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the film begins shortly after 7 p.m. The screening is open to subscribers and box office ticket holders. Attendees who wish to purchase a one-time ticket for this show may reserve a ticket on this site under the Box Office tab for a donation of $10 or may pay via The Venue’s Eventbright link on their website. Those that wish to subscribe to our 2026 series may secure a subscription by making a donation of $70 under the Subscription tab. We will see you on the 20th, and bring a friend who loves movies!
