(Trigger Warning SA) It’s tough landing your film with a flawed protagonist.
There are thousands (probably millions) of great films where the leads are criminal, ex-cons, or just deeply unlikable characters. Some of those films are about being in the criminal life or finding some path to change and grow. But few films really explore the guilt and fear that comes after serving time. If the crime is heinous enough, there may not be people on the other side welcoming you back with open arms. Forgiveness isn’t always possible. It’s a paralyzing idea, and writer/Director Angela Wanjiku Wamai deeply explores these fears and traumas in her feature debut, Shimoni.
Shimoni follows Geoffrey (Justin Mirichii), a man who finished his seven-year prison term for an “unspeakable crime” and is now living in the small village of Shimoni to transition. He spends his days doing menial labor under Father Jacob (Sam Psenjen), his family refuse to help him because of his crimes, and he’s terrified of leaving the church compound in the village. Wamai delivers some of the most chilling and haunting direction I’ve seen all year. Her methodic pacing and command of her shot composition resulted in a deeply tragic atmosphere throughout the film. The film is a tragedy, and Wamai puts you right inside Geoffrey’s tortured mind. You feel his fear, and you feel as trapped in Shimoni as he is. The anxiety only grows as the film moves forward and the community gossip grows. At the same time, Wamai’s direction never feels over-the-top or melodramatic, as she trusts Mirichii’s subdued performance to capture Geoffrey’s petrified terror.
While Wamai stellar direction is top tier in her debut film, the writing could’ve been stronger to make the tragedy hit home. We don’t learn what Geoffery crimes were until later in the film, it feels like a missed opportunity to see more extensively the response to his imprisonment. The gossip around town acts as solid build up, but I wanted to see more of it as opposed to a few other subplots peppered in the film. Once the rest of the Shimoni community learns about Geoffrey’s crimes, the film’s pacing moves significantly faster. Compound that with revelations of Geoffrey as a sexual assault survivor at around the same time, and it felt like the script is rushing to cram in plot points. Wamai does depict these heavy scenes tastefully, and I appreciate the empathy she demonstrated in her writing. These issues didn’t hamper my enjoyment of the film, but some tighter writing could’ve made the tragedy hit harder.
Shimoni is a bleak film that at times feels like a gut punch of a cinematic experience. The strong direction and character work make the film feel like a fuse just itching to burst. Few films capture fear and paralysis like this one, and while the script could’ve used a bit more work, it’s a solid debut. I look forward to what Angela Wanjiku Wamai puts out next.
Shimoni will be in theaters on March 12th and 15 as part of the New York African Film Festival.