Rafiki

Rafiki
Film poster
Directed by Wanuri Kahiu
Produced by Steven Markovitz
Written by
  • Wanuri Kahiu
  • Jena Cato Bass
Starring
  • Samantha Mugatsia
  • Sheila Munyiva
Cinematography Christopher Wessels
Edited by Isabelle Dedieu
Release date
  • 9 May 2018 (2018-05-09) (Cannes)
  • 23 September 2018 (2018-09-23) (Kenya)
Running time
 82 min
Country Kenya
Language English
Swahili

Rafiki (lit. "Friend") is a 2018 Kenyan drama film directed by Wanuri Kahiu.[1] Inspired by Ugandan Monica Arac de Nyeko's 2007 Caine Prize-winning short story "Jambula Tree", Rafiki is the story of friendship and tender love that grows between two young women, Kena and Ziki, amidst family and political pressures. The film had its international premiere in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.[2][3]

Plot

Kena helps her father John Mwaura run a small convenience store in Nairobi as he campaigns for a local election. Kena lives with her mother, who isn't really on speaking terms with John. Kena starts flirting with Ziki, a neighbourhood girl with colourful hair, who also happens to be the daughter of Peter Okemi, John's political rival. Kena and Ziki have a number of romantic dates, and quickly become very close, but there are tensions about displaying their affection in public because homosexuality is illegal in Kenya.

Ziki's friends get jealous that she is spending so much time with Kena, and when they attack Kena, Ziki defends her. Ziki takes Kena home to dress her wounds, but Ziki's mom catches them kissing. They run away together to hide, but are found by the town gossip, who brings an angry mob to attack the two girls. They are both arrested, and have to be picked up by their fathers. Ziki can no longer bear to see Kena, and her parents send her to live in London. John refuses to let Kena take the blame for what happened, even though it means forfeiting his chance at winning the election.

A few years later, Kena has fulfilled her dream to become a doctor, and gets word that Ziki has returned to town. The film ends just as they are reunited: after all these years their love has not died.

Cast

Ban

Rafiki was banned by the Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) "due to its homosexual theme and clear intent to promote lesbianism in Kenya contrary to the law".[4] The KFCB warned that anyone found in possession of the film would be in breach of the law in Kenya, where gay sex is punishable by 14 years in jail. The ban raised international outrage by the supporters of LGBT rights.[5][6]

The film's director, Wanuri Kahiu, sued Kenya's government, to allow the film to be screened and become eligible to be submitted as Kenya's entry for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film at the 91st Academy Awards.[7] On 21 September 2018, the Kenyan High Court lifted the ban on the film, allowing it to be screened in the country for seven days, therefore meeting the eligibility requirements.[8][9] After the ban was lifted, the film was shown to a sold-out crowd at a cinema in Nairobi.[10] Desite the ban being lifted, it was not selected as Kenya's submission in the Foreign Language Film category, with Supa Modo being sent instead.[11][12]

References

  1. ↑ "Rafiki". Cannes. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  2. ↑ "The 2018 Official Selection". Cannes. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  3. ↑ "Cannes Lineup Includes New Films From Spike Lee, Jean-Luc Godard". Variety. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  4. ↑ "KFCB on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  5. ↑ "Ban of Kenyan film over lesbianism criticised". Daily Nation. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  6. ↑ "Kenya bans Rafiki ahead of Cannes debut over lesbian scenes". BBC News. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  7. ↑ Mutuko, Mumbi (11 September 2018). "Government Sued for Preventing Kenyan Movie From Winning Oscars". Kenyans. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  8. ↑ "High court lifts ban on lesbian themed movie 'Rafiki'". The Star (Kenya). 21 September 2018. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
  9. ↑ "High Court lifts ban on controversial lesbian movie, dismisses moral police Ezekiel Mutua". Tuko. 21 September 2018. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
  10. ↑ "Lesbian film Rafiki sells out after Kenyan court lifts ban". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  11. ↑ Musyoka, Michael (28 September 2018). "Supa Modo is Kenya's Submission to Oscars, Rafiki Loses Out". Kenyans.co.ke. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
  12. ↑ Vourlias, Christopher (28 September 2018). "Kenya Picks Berlinale Crowd-Pleaser 'Supa Modo' as Its Oscar Hopeful". Variety. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.