When we first meet Shula (Susan Chardy), the quietly unbending protagonist of “On Becoming a Guinea Fowl,” she is driving home from a fancy-dress party, wearing dark shades, a gleaming metal ...

There’s nothing like starting a movie with a running gag, and Rungano Nyoni’s On Becoming a Guinea Fowl kicks off with a beauty. A young woman Shula (Susan Chardy) is driving home late at night.

The heroine of Rungano Nyoni’s second feature keeps her cool even as she uncovers long-buried family secrets in Zambia. By Manohla Dargis When you purchase a ticket for an independently reviewed ...