Samantha Mugatsia, a Kenyan actress who played the lead role in Rafiki, a film that which was banned by the Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) banned the film last year for “promoting lesbianism” has won the Best Actress Award at the recently concluded Pan African film Festival(FESPACO), which held at Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso. Mugatsia won the award for her depiction of the lesbian character in the film, according to bbc.com.
Rafiki, according to the BBC reports means “friend” in “Swahili and it traces a coming-of-age love story between two young women who meet and fall in love. Their romance unfolds against a backdrop of homophobia and despite their families being on opposing sides of the political divide. The film is based on Jambula Tree, a prize-winning short story by Ugandan writer Monica Arac de Nyeko.”
As it is in Nigeria, homosexuality is illegal in Kenya and is punishable with 14 years’ imprisonment although the BBC report indicates that country’s High Court is due to rule on whether the law should be reversed in a couple of months. In the interim however, the Kenya Films and Censors Board was said to have warned that anyone found in possession of the film would be in breach of the law.
The film director, Wanuri Kahiu tweeted as follows in reaction to the actress’s award: The oldest African film festival acknowledged a queer character… So proud! Queerness cannot be silenced.”
FESPACO, the acronym in French of the Pan-African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
“Winning Best Actress for RAFIKI at FESPACO is monumental. It is not only a recognition of Kenya’s artistry and adds Kenya to the history of African cinema, but a huge recognition of Freedom of Expression within Africa.“
— Wanuri (@wanuri) March 4, 2019