By Fatou Faye
The touching drama, Rafiki (2018), follows the romance between two teenage girls who fall in love despite living in a country that still criminalizes homosexuality. Taking place in Nairobi, Kenya, the film highlights the country’s vibrant street style and the unique music of Nairobi’s culture.
We follow two young girls, Kena (Samantha Mugatsia) and Ziki (Sheila Munyiva), who are fighting against all odds by living not only in such a conservative climate but a political one as well, them both being politicians' daughters who happen to be rivals. When their love begins to bloom, they have to choose between their happiness and their safety.
The film was actually banned in the country it was made in, Kenya. While being gay is illegal in this country, the Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) banned the film “due to its homosexual theme and clear intent to promote lesbianism in Kenya contrary to the law.” They asked the director to change the ending of the film, but she refused, which is what led to the ban. Wanuri Kahiu, the director, sued the government to allow the film to be screened, and eventually, they lifted the ban for only seven days so the film would be eligible for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film at the 91st Academy Awards.
Wanuri’s efforts paid off after the ban was lifted and was sold out in theaters all across Nairobi. This is so important to note, not just because the director’s/creator’s efforts should be recognized, but because this shows how much of an impact this film made in Kenya. The fact that the film was banned also shows us what's at stake for our two characters as we watch the film.
The characters in the film are truly compelling and offer us, as an audience, a better understanding of the situations they are in. In Rafiki, one of our main characters, Kena, is struggling with her two parents, who are separated. Her mom is clearly struggling greatly with this, especially when she finds that Kena’s father is having a child with another woman.
She is stuck between two crossroads, trying to be there for her father during his campaign and comforting her mother through her heartbreak. Through all of this, Kena is trying her best to be a “good daughter,” but it seems nothing will be enough once her parents find out about her secret love, Ziki. Kena is someone who is determined, she has big goals to become a doctor and do great things. This is something that greatly inspires Ziki to be better.
Ziki, who is also a politician's daughter, struggles in her home with two strict parents. In the film, we actually don’t see much of Ziki’s parents, all we really see are scenes of her father screaming at her frantically through a door and her mother (after finding out about Kena) sending Ziki to London, which tells us that her parents are not happy with what has happened. Ziki is very free-spirited and flamboyant with her colorful hair and makeup and interesting style choices. It seems obvious why Kena would be drawn to someone so bright.
The pair originally began as “rivals.” This is mainly in quotes because they were only “rivals” because of their fathers, who constantly disapproved of their “friendship” (before they found out what they really were). Kena and Ziki had always had some sort of connection, and as they began to hang out more, their love for each other began to strengthen. They were forced to live in private, their love seen as something shameful and even demonic by their peers and family.
They begin to create their own small world together, which exists in a small abandoned van that they consider their haven. They often tell each other they “wish this was real” so they wouldn’t have to constantly hide their love and commitment to each other. Things, unfortunately, begin to spiral once people find out about their secret relationship, and this results in violence and other traumatizing actions from their “friends,” family, and neighbors.
Throughout the film, the director uses bright, vibrant colors, clothing, lighting, and even makeup to showcase the country’s livelihood and high spirits. The cinematography of the film is also something that stands out. There is often the use of close-ups and really tight shots, especially during scenes where Kena and Ziki are together. For example, in the first scene we see Kena and Ziki hanging out, they are talking, and we only see close shots of the two; with this, it's easier to see the emotions these two are feeling for each other through their facial expressions and even their body language. Their intimate moments are a lot more intimate because of this technique.
Music also plays an important role in this film. The opening scene begins with upbeat music while showing off different parts of Kenya which fit perfectly, also showing us the vibes and livelihood of the country. One of my favorite sequences is Kena and Ziki’s first “date” (Ziki didn’t consider it their first real date), in which we are shown scenes of them at an amusement park and later some sort of club or party scene.
The romantic and soft music for this fits perfectly for the moment, really setting the tone for these scenes and perfectly conveying how these two feel for one another. These are only a few of many examples of these beautiful elements in the film.
The story of their love is beautifully told, by the director Wanuri Kahiu, through the elaborate use of music, color, and art. The film explores the cultural and political realities that affect these two young girls' love stories. This story is such an important one to tell because of this. It is not often that we get lesbian love stories centering on Black women, let alone these stories centering on African women; it’s as if the media treats us as if we don’t exist.
It’s so important to tell these stories because of how underrepresented Black lesbians are in the media. Watching a film like this when I was younger would have absolutely changed my life; not only would it have shown me what’s possible for me, but it also would have educated me on how different it is in other countries. Unfortunately, these two women go through a lot because of who they are, but it is the reality for a lot of queer people living in countries where being queer is criminalized, and it’s important to still tell their stories.
Inspire a friend, share this story on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or through email.
Comments