White Shadow received mostly positive reviews from critics. Guy Lodge of Variety, said in his review that "Noaz Deshe makes a staggering debut with this drama about the African albino multi trade."[11] Boyd van Hoeij in his review for The Hollywood Reporter said that "This harrowing account of a young albino's fight for survival in Tanzania is too long but nonetheless often gripping."[12] Jessica Kiang of Indiewire grade the film B+ and praised the film by saying that "We have to admit, it first took a lot of our patience, and then all of our nerve, to make it through to the end, but that simply makes it a film that is exactly as upsetting as its subject matter warrants."[13]