- Title: Kenya lifts ban on lesbian film, making it eligible for oscars
- Date: 21st September 2018
- Summary: NAIROBI, KENYA (SEPTEMBER 21, 2018) (REUTERS) COURT IN PROGRESS JUSTICE, WILFRIDA OKWANY WRITING DOWN NOTES LAWYERS REPRESENTING FILMMAKERS BEHIND "RAFIKI" MOVIE JOURNALISTS / ACTIVISTS IN COURT (SOUNDBITE) (English) JUSTICE, WILFRIDA OKWANY, SAYING: "Practice of homosexuality did not begin with the film "Rafiki". This is a subject that has sparked debate and controversy i
- Embargoed: 5th October 2018 14:29
- Keywords: Court ruling Rafiki film entertainment Wanuri Kahiu LGBT rights Oscars Homosexuality
- Location: NAIROBI, KENYA/ CANNES, FRANCE/ VARIOUS FILM LOCATIONS
- City: NAIROBI, KENYA/ CANNES, FRANCE/ VARIOUS FILM LOCATIONS
- Country: Kenya
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment,Film
- Reuters ID: LVA0028YKLOPJ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:A Kenyan judge ruled on Friday (September 21) that a government ban must be temporarily lifted on a film telling the love story of two women, a move that will allow the film's director to submit the work as the country's Oscars entry in the foreign film category.
The ruling comes as local gay rights activists fight in court to repeal the East African nation's colonial era penal code that criminalised gay sex. A landmark Supreme Court ruling in India earlier this month decriminalised homosexuality, raising hopes among activists for a similar move in Kenya.
"Rafiki", which means friend in the Swahili language, premiered at the Cannes film festival, the first Kenyan film to do so. It is adapted from an award-winning short story "Jambula Tree" by Ugandan writer, Monica Arac de Nyeko.
To be eligible as Kenya's entry under the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 2019 Academy Awards, it must have been released in Kenya.
However, the East African country banned it in April on the grounds that it promotes lesbianism.
The film classification board is largely seen by Kenya's artistic community as behind the times and conservative, stifling creative expression -- a charge the board's head denies.
The deadline for a release in Kenya is Sept. 30 and the film's director Wanuri Kahiu filed a lawsuit on Sept. 12 seeking to lift the ban.
Justice Wilfrida Okwany ruled the ban on the film be lifted for seven days. The judge noted that the film's depiction of a same sex relationship has been found "tolerable" to adult audiences in other countries including South Africa where it has been widely screened.
"Practice of homosexuality did not begin with the film "Rafiki". This is a subject that has sparked debate and controversy in many quarters including in Kenya, where the same is not legalized. In fact, therefore homosexuality is an issue that is a reality in the society and the question which then arises is whether a film should be restricted clearly because it depicts gay theme? My answer to the above question is in the negative because, one of the reasons for artistic creativity is to stir society's conscience, even on very vexing topics such as homosexuality," she added.
She also said the film's director is "hereby allowed to admit the film" to Kenya's Oscars selection committee for consideration for entry in the best foreign language film category.
The judge cited previous Kenyan playwrights and authors whose work had been celebrated abroad but banned and otherwise repressed locally.
The film has won acclaim abroad.
Homosexuality is taboo across much of Africa and people who are gay face discrimination or persecution. In recent years, however, campaigners for lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgender rights have become increasingly vocal. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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