‘I Am Not a Witch’ is a harrowing yet hopeful piece of cinema that clearly symbolises the misogynistic society that surrounds women, no matter where we go in the world. The main expression of this to me is the cotton reels. The film – directed by Rungano Nyoni – explores the story of a young girl accused of witchcraft in a rural area of Zambia. Shula is confined to a witch camp, essentially a slave colony for women, where they are all restricted by cotton reels. Ironically this creative symbol that Nyoni invented is so beautiful in aesthetic. And yet they are such a horrific portrayal of the oppression that women endure throughout their entire lives. And the cutting of these ribbons epitomises the freedom that women can have if they rebel against the patriarchy. Even if it ends in a tragedy, it is a tragedy that brings such promise for other women, that they can be happy if we can force change in the societies we live in all around the world.