Susan Chardy

On Becoming a Guinea Fowl drops you into the chaos of a family reunion in Zambia, right after the death of a beloved uncle. Susan Chardy’s performance is razor-sharp, pulling you into all the messy, swirling emotions that pop up when family secrets start leaking out. It’s not just grief—there’s guilt, suspicion, and a whole lot of awkward silences that say way more than words ever could. The film doesn’t sugarcoat anything. You get this raw, sometimes painfully real look at how people try (and usually fail) to keep it together when everything’s falling apart. Chardy’s character moves through old childhood haunts, navigating tricky relationships with cousins, aunts, and uncles, each one hiding some piece of the family puzzle. There’s tension about inheritance, whispered gossip about the past, and the kind of side-eye glances only families know how to give. The movie isn’t afraid to dig into tough topics—generational trauma, shame, and the pressure to keep quiet for the sake of “respectability.” At the same time, there’s this undercurrent of dark humor that makes the heavy stuff easier to swallow. Visually, Zambia’s landscape is both stunning and haunting—sun-bleached yards, shadowy living rooms, the clash of tradition and modern life everywhere you look. Chardy really nails the feeling of being stuck between worlds: wanting to honor the past but desperate to break free from all its baggage. It’s a slow burn, a little uncomfortable, but that’s what makes it stick with you.