Since 2007 it has become known that Albinos in Tanzania, Congo and Kenya have become a commodity - human targets of a lucrative and sinister trade.

Witch doctors offer thousands of dollars for albino body parts which are believed to bring good fortune, prosperity and the ability to cure any illness. As a result, Tanzanian albinos, including children, have been murdered by gangs of men who hack off arms, legs or genitals. Some will pay from $500 to $5000 for an albino limb while the average annual income in Tanzania is $442. There is a saying in East Africa, “Albinos don’t die, they just disappear”. Seventy-three such documented killings have occurred in the past two years as well as hundreds of unreported attacks since 2007.

WHITE SHADOW is the story of Alias, a young albino boy on the run. After witnessing his father’s murder, his mother sends him away to find refuge in the city. He's brought to the care of his uncle, Kosmos, a truck driver struggling with a few small businesses. In the city, Alias is a quick learner, selling sunglasses, DVDs and mobile phones. He is fond of his uncle’s daughter, Antoinette, although his uncle disapproves. Gradually the city becomes no different than the bush and wherever Alias travels the same rules of survival apply.

“WHITE SHADOW is a classic story about love and growing pains, set in a harsh and predatory environment. I was interested in exploring an old theme using modern cinematographic language: a human being is persecuted for looking different, which attracts superstitions that set the stage for ritualistic and barbaric behaviour.”
(Noaz Deshe)

Hamisi Bazili: Alias

James Gayo: Kosmos

Glory Mbayuwayu: Antoinette

Salum Abdallah: Salum

Tito D. Ntanga: Father

Riziki Ally: Mother

James P. Salala: Adin

John S. Mwakipunda: Anulla

Director: Noaz Deshe

Script: Noaz Deshe

James Masson

Directors of Photography: Armin Dierolf

Noaz Deshe

Producers: Ginevra Elkann

Noaz Deshe

Francesco Melzi d’Eril

Co-Producers: Alexander Wadouh

Matthias Luthardt

Babak Jalali

Executive Producers: Ryan Gosling

Stefano Gallini-Durante

Line Producers: Vanessa Ciszewski

Francesca Zanza

Editors: Noaz Deshe

Xavier Box

Robin Hill

Nico Leunen

Production Design: Smith Kimaro

Deepesh Shapriya

Costume Design: Caren Miesenberger

Sandra Leutert

Sound Recording: Elie Chansa

Assistant Directors: Ilan Cohen

Smith Kimaro

Nassos Chatzopoulos

Production Manager: Katja Lebedjewa

Office Manager: Malek Malekela

Sound Design: Niklas Kammertöns

Supervising Sound Editing: Thomas Wallmann

Re-recording Mixer: Lars Ginzel

Music: James Masson

Noaz Deshe

International Filmfest Potsdam 2014 - Hauptpreis

New Horizons International Film Festival 2014 - Grand Prize and Audience Award

Transylvania International Film Festival 2014 - Special Jury Mention

Durban International Film Festival 2014 - Best Director

London East End Film Festival 2014 - Best Feature

ZERKALO Tarkovsky Film Fest 2014 - Best Director

San Francisco Film Festival 2014 - Special Jury Recognition - New Directors Prize

Munich Film Festival 2014 - CineVision Award

Sundance Film Festival 2014 - Grand Jury Prize (nominated)

Black Movie Film Festival 2014 - Audience Award

Venice Film Festival 2013 - Luigi De Laurentiis- Lion of the Future Award

Jury des Internationalen Filmfest Potsdam:

“Der Regisseur Noaz Deshe, der den Film auch produziert und weite Teile gedreht hat, setzt auf archaische, eindringliche, mitunter verstörende Bilderwelten. Rasante Montagen, eine verblüffende Regiearbeit, sphärische vom Regisseur komponierte Post-Wave-Musik machen dieses Film-Kunstwerk nicht nur zu einem Leinwand-Erlebnis, sondern beeindrucken nachhaltig.”


Guy Lodge, Variety:

"Noaz Deshe makes a staggering debut with this drama about the African albino muti trade..."
(http://bit.ly/1h9sdO8)


Shane Danielson, Indiewire:

"Every sequence here, every new encounter, boasted at least one moment of either visual or aural astonishment, right up to the jaw-dropping final image. (The music, by the director and his co-writer, James Masson, is extraordinary.) It was, for me, the great discovery, the Damascene Moment one hopes for at festivals, but seldom experiences. And for this alone, every impediment Venice could put in the way, every difficulty it summoned to derail us, seemed for a moment almost worth it."


Christoph Schmitz, Deutschlandfunk:

"Mit einer wilden, ja unbändigen Kamera, mit wüsten, schnellen Schnitten, nachtschwarzen Abstraktionen, poetischen Stimmfragmenten aus dem Off und mit einer kakophonischen Geräuschsymphonie erzählt "White Shadow". Und zwar vom Überlebenskampf eines Albinojungen in Schwarzafrika. Noaz Deshe heißt der Regisseur. Seinen Namen wird man sich merken müssen. Deshe lebt in Berlin und Los Angeles. "White Shadow" ist ein Bilderrausch über Dämonenwahn, Armut, Ausgrenzung und Gewalteskalation. Der Film dauert fast zwei Stunden. Aber keine Minute ist zu viel. In den Nebenreihen von Venedig macht man außergewöhnliche Entdeckungen."


Jessica Kiang, The Playlist:

"“White Shadow” is probably as important to see as it is difficult to watch which is a paradox that we can't see many viewers navigating with ease, but it does herald the arrival of a brave, totally uncompromising talent in Deshe, with a film that will scratch away in the dark untrafficked corners of your mind long after it ends."