Rafiki

This "Rafiki" (Swahili for "friend") has nothing to do with the character from "The Lion King". It is about a friendship between two young women which eventually becomes a lesbian romance. The two girls are the daughters of two political rivals who are candidates in the same election, although not too much is made of this aspect of the story.

The story is a fairly slight one, and were this an American or European film I doubt if it would have attracted much attention. Except, of course, this is not an American or European film. It is a Kenyan film and the two young women, Kena and Ziki, are from Nairobi. As in many other African countries, homosexuality is both illegal and socially taboo in Kenya, so a film on this theme was unprecedented there. The Kenyan film industry seems to be in the position which the British and American film industries were in in 1961. This was the year which saw the first mainstream British film about same-sex love ("Victim", about male homosexuality) and the first American one ("The Children's Hour", about lesbianism).

It was therefore a brave move on the part of director Wanuri Kahiu to make this film. It was, predictably, banned by the Kenyan authorities, "due to its homosexual theme and clear intent to promote lesbianism in Kenya contrary to the law". What upset them was not just that the film dealt with lesbianism but also that it treated the subject in a positive way. After a lawsuit the High Court of Kenya temporarily lifted the ban, allowing the film to be screened in the country for a limited period of one week. (The hope was that this would allow it to be considered for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, but in the event another film became Kenya's nomination for this award). Let us hope that films like this one will lead to a change in attitudes to homosexuality in Kenya and elsewhere in Africa. 7/10

Set in Kenya, Samantha Mugatsia and Sheila Munyiva star here as Kena and Ziki respectively. The two young women fall in love and begin a lesbian relationship. Ironically, their fathers are each candidates in an upcoming local election.

However, in Kenya, gay relationships are not only forbidden but illegal as well. If Kena and Ziki naively thought that their families or the people in their small town would just let them be, they were sorely mistaken. When their relationship becomes public, things will take a very dark turn for all involved.

I thought this was a most poignant drama filled with rich and real characters. It also has extremely colorful cinematography. I'd be most interested in seeing the next film of co-writer and director Wanuri Kahiu.

Given the horrendous murders, beatings, discriminations against LGBTQ in many African countries & especially so in those where the Christian & Islamic influences are strong it was courageous for this production crew & actors to expose the hatred. Our lead actors had little to no acting experience & did a credible job. The only negative is that it didn't show how deadly serious this issue is.

"Rafiki" is a lovely picture: colorful, kinetic, well-scored and about a blossoming young romance. It makes the already-repugnant plot turn to the homophobic reaction of the bigots in Nairobi all the more disheartening. There's hardly any doubt as to the human rights abuses that the movie condemns, either, as "Rafiki" was only allowed to be screened in Kenya to qualify for Oscar contention before promptly returning to being banned. But, religious and societal bigotry aren't what this picture is mostly about, nor is it the rather poorly-developed political division between the young women's two families, with its flickering semblance of feuding Montagues and Capulets. It's a love story, relatively brief and brisk, and it need not be more.

The romantic leads are likable, but the real highlights of "Rafiki" are the color schemes and production design. From the striking clothing of citizens and Ziki's braided hair, to the muted pastels of the couple's more intimate scenes, this is full of bold compositions. I also like the use of music, from the opening credits sequence played over "Suzie Noma," which sets the stage for Ziki and her circle's dancing throughout. All of which, too, stands in stark contrast to the conservatism of others in a place here that is celebrated for freedom of movement, with not only Ziki's dancing, but also the traveling of streets whether by Kena's skateboard or Blacksta's motorcycle, as well as the football, and one colored like a rainbow, which is surely no coincidence given that gay pride is represented by the rainbow flag.

I'm only watching this in November and I can't believe it has eluded me all this while. It draws you in from the first second and you completely forget everything else till its over, then you wish it wasn't. 😘 I loved it and I can not believe it has been banned 😥... Has it really?