Rafiki (film)
| Rafiki | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Wanuri Kahiu |
| Written by |
|
| Produced by | Steven Markovitz |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Christopher Wessels |
| Edited by | Isabelle Dedieu |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 82 minutes |
| Country | Kenya |
| Languages |
|
| Box office | $176,513[1] |
Rafiki (Swahili for 'friend') is a 2018 Kenyan drama film directed by Wanuri Kahiu.[2] Rafiki is the story of romance that grows between two young women, Kena and Ziki, amidst family and political pressures around LGBT rights in Kenya. The film had its international premiere in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival;[3][4] it was the first Kenyan film to be screened at the festival.[5]
Plot
[edit]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.[6][7]
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.[6][7]
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.[6][7]
Cast
[edit]- Samantha Mugatsia as Kena Mwaura
- Sheila Munyiva as Ziki Okemi
- Neville Misati as Blacksta
- Nini Wacera as Mercy
- Jimmy Gathu as John Mwaura
- Charlie Karumi as Waireri
- Muthoni Gathecha as Mama Atim
- Dennis Musyoka as Peter Okemi
- Patricia Amira as Rose Okemi
- Nice Githinji as Nduta
- Patricia Kihoro as Josephine
- Mellen Aura as Elizabeth
- Vitalis Waweru as Tom
- Leila Weema as Elizabeth's Friend
Production
[edit]The film is inspired by Ugandan Monica Arac de Nyeko's 2007 Caine Prize-winning short story "Jambula Tree".[8] The film's title "Rafiki" (meaning "friend" in Swahili) was chosen, because due to homophobia in society, partners in a same-sex relationship often need to introduce their partner as a "friend", even if they are more than a friend.[9]
It took several years to find funding to produce the film. The filmmakers initially tried to get funding in Kenya, but that was not possible, so they found co-production partners in Europe as well as financing from Lebanon and the United States.[9]
Colours played an important role in the cinematography and art direction of the film. The filmmakers wanted to show that Nairobi is a very colourful city, which is why there is a lot of colour in the film. Scenes of intimacy between Kena and Ziki are shown in more tender pastel colours rather than the strong colour contrasts of the other scenes.[9]
The film soundtracks featured several African artists such as Muthoni Drummer Queen, Chemutai Sage, Blinky Bill, Jaaz Odongo, Trina Mungai, Mumbi and Njoki Karu.[8] The playlist was curated by Patricia Kihoro, who disclosed this during an interview.
It was Samantha Mugatsia's first film as an actress.[10] Kahiu discovered her at a friend's party and asked her to audition for the role, as she had some of the characteristics of the character Kena. Sheila Munyiva had acted in films before.[5]
Through the film, Wanuri expressed that African art needs to showcase hope and joy rather than hardship, terror and wars. She terms this as Afrobubblegum, and she is a strong advocate for the cultural movement.[11][12]
Reception
[edit]On Metacritic the film has a score of 68 out of 100 based on reviews from 17 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[13]
The film made its Dutch premiere at the International Film Festival Rotterdam in 2019, during its 48th edition.[14] It also got screened at the Dublin International Film Festival in the same year.[15]
Ban in Kenya
[edit]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".[16][17] The Board asked the film director to change the ending, as it was too hopeful and positive. Kahiu refused, which led to the ban of the film.[9] 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.[18][19]
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.[20][21] She also sued for projected losses that would arise from the ban.[22] On 21 September 2018, the Kenyan High Court judge, Wilfrida Okwany, temporarily lifted the ban on the film, allowing it to be screened in the country for seven days and meeting the minimum eligibility requirement.[23][24][25][26] Once the ban was lifted, the film played to sold-out crowds at a cinema in Nairobi.[27][28] Despite the concession, it was not selected as Kenya's submission in the Foreign Language Film category, with Supa Modo being sent instead.[29][30][27]
Awards
[edit]Mugatsia won the Best Actress award at the 2019 FESPACO in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso for her portrayal of Kena.[31]
The film won the Best Narrative feature at the Seattle Queer Fim Festival in 2019. It also won the Silver Hugo award at the Chicago International Film Festival.[32]
References
[edit]- ^ "Rafiki (2018) - Financial Information". The Numbers. Archived from the original on 3 February 2024. Retrieved 20 October 2019.
- ^ "Rafiki". Cannes. Archived from the original on 4 November 2023. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
- ^ "The 2018 Official Selection". Cannes. 12 April 2018. Archived from the original on 24 September 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
- ^ "Cannes Lineup Includes New Films From Spike Lee, Jean-Luc Godard". Variety. 12 April 2018. Archived from the original on 26 May 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
- ^ a b Khaldi, Tarik (9 May 2018). "Rafiki as seen by Wanuri Kahiu". Festival de Cannes 2019. Archived from the original on 12 February 2024. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
- ^ a b c Mumford, Gwilym (9 May 2018). "Rafiki review – groundbreaking lesbian romance aims to change Kenyan hearts and minds". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
- ^ a b c "'Rafiki' Is An Afro Bubble Gum Film About 2 Women Falling In Love Where It's Illegal". www.wbur.org. 10 May 2019. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
- ^ a b Nangsel (10 February 2020). "Film Review: Rafiki – To Love Or Not No To Love, When Love Is Illegal". Feminism in India. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
- ^ a b c d Bacon, Redmond (24 May 2018). ""We Truly Love Our Country" — An Interview with 'Rafiki' Director Wanuri Kahiu". much ado about cinema. Archived from the original on 9 February 2023. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
- ^ festivaldecannes (9 May 2018). "Rafiki as seen by Wanuri Kahiu". Festival de Cannes. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
- ^ "TIFF 2018: The Afrobubblegum of Wanuri Kahiu's "Rafiki" – Girish Shambu". Retrieved 21 November 2024.
- ^ Milne, Rachel (1 September 2023). "'Fun, fierce and frivolous': Afrobubblegum and the possibilities of queer African love in Rafiki". Queer Studies in Media & Popular Culture. 8 (Representing Queerness: Modes, Manners and Methods): 297–314. doi:10.1386/qsmpc_00107_1. ISSN 2055-5695.
- ^ "Rafiki". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 12 February 2024. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
- ^ "Dutch premiere of Rafiki at the International Film Festival Rotterdam". www.rinkelfilm.com. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
- ^ "Film Review: Rafiki, 'A beautiful piece of African cinema that could have won an Oscar'". The Circular. 27 February 2019. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
- ^ "Kenya Film Classification Board on Twitter". Twitter. Archived from the original on 29 September 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
- ^ Summers, Hannah (27 April 2018). "Canned in Kenya, set for Cannes: Rafiki falls foul of Nairobi film censors". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
- ^ "Ban of Kenyan film over lesbianism criticised". Daily Nation. Archived from the original on 27 July 2023. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
- ^ "Kenya bans Rafiki ahead of Cannes debut over lesbian scenes". BBC News. 27 April 2018. Archived from the original on 14 February 2024. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
- ^ "Kenya Lifts Ban on Lesbian Love Tale, in Time for Oscar Nominations". Voice of America. 21 September 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
- ^ Mutuko, Mumbi (11 September 2018). "Government Sued for Preventing Kenyan Movie From Winning Oscars". Kenyans. Archived from the original on 13 February 2024. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
- ^ Vourlias, Christopher (21 September 2018). "Kenyan Judge Lifts Ban on LGBT Film 'Rafiki,' Enabling It to Qualify for Oscars". Variety. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
- ^ Pedersen, Bruce Haring,Erik (22 September 2018). "'Rafiki' Ban Temporarily Lifted By Kenyan Government; Film Held Out Of Cannes Now Eligible As Oscar Submission". Deadline. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "High court lifts ban on lesbian themed movie 'Rafiki'". The Star (Kenya). 21 September 2018. Archived from the original on 9 February 2024. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
- ^ "High Court lifts ban on controversial lesbian movie, dismisses moral police Ezekiel Mutua". Tuko. 21 September 2018. Archived from the original on 2 February 2024. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
- ^ "Kenya lifts ban on lesbian film ahead of Oscars". The Independent. 24 September 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
- ^ a b Griffin, Tamerra (29 September 2018). "People Had Seven Days To Watch A Film Banned For "Promoting Lesbianism"". BuzzFeed News. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
- ^ "Lesbian film Rafiki sells out after Kenyan court lifts ban". The Sydney Morning Herald. 23 September 2018. Archived from the original on 9 February 2023. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
- ^ Musyoka, Michael (28 September 2018). "Supa Modo is Kenya's Submission to Oscars, Rafiki Loses Out". Kenyans.co.ke. Archived from the original on 13 February 2024. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
- ^ Vourlias, Christopher (28 September 2018). "Kenya Picks Berlinale Crowd-Pleaser 'Supa Modo' as Its Oscar Hopeful". Variety. Archived from the original on 14 February 2024. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
- ^ "Fespaco: Banned lesbian love story Rafiki wins award". BBC News. 3 March 2019. Archived from the original on 26 March 2023. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
- ^ Kelleher, Patrick (28 October 2018). "Lesbian film Rafiki wins three awards at US festivals, despite ban in Kenya". PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news. Retrieved 21 November 2024.