They build a box and call it a home. They give you a crown of thorns and call you a queen. This is the story of the roles that suffocate us, the identity of “woman” that is a cage. It’s a raw look at how the patriarchy strips us bare, forcing us into the singular path of wife and mother, violently shaming us for wanting more and denying us the universe of experiences we are meant to have, all in the name of control.

The Patriarchy is one of six short films in A Moment in Time, an anthology exploring critical societal issues facing young Africans today.

Created and written by Mudzithe Phiri.