World of Witchcraft
Director Daniel Bogado
Countries
Duration 53 min
Synopsis
Filmmaker Sorious Samura delves deep into Central African Republic – a country which every year investigates, tries and imprisons hundreds of people for committing the ‘crime of witchcraft’. The police chief says they investigate a witchcraft case almost every day. At the courtroom, the defendants are mostly old women, accused by their own relatives. Sticks, herbs and potions are presented as evidence. The prosecutor, however, is one of the few officials in the country who doesn’t believe in witchcraft. He argues passionately against the accusers and appeals for the use of logic and reason. But everyone else – from rural villagers to government ministers – believes. Captivating, surreal and tragic, this film finds a whole nation utterly in the grip of witch hysteria.
Filmmaker Sorious Samura delves deep into Central African Republic – a country which every year investigates, tries and imprisons hundreds of people for committing the ‘crime of witchcraft’. The police chief says they investigate a witchcraft case almost every day. At the courtroom, the defendants are mostly old women, accused by their own relatives. Sticks, herbs and potions are presented as evidence. The prosecutor, however, is one of the few officials in the country who doesn’t believe in witchcraft. He argues passionately against the accusers and appeals for the use of logic and reason. But everyone else – from rural villagers to government ministers – believes. Captivating, surreal and tragic, this film finds a whole nation utterly in the grip of witch hysteria.