Rafiki is both a piece of engaging cinema and a political message.
Initially banned from being shown in Kenya by the government for its portrayal of lesbian romance, campaigning and international pressure for Rafiki saw talented director Wanuri Kahiu sue the government and have the ban lifted, meaning that Kenyans got to enjoy this touching but accessible tale just as much as foreign festival-goers.
Taking its title from the Swahili term for "friend", Rafiki is a tale of forbidden love that sees the intelligent tomboyish Kena (newcomer Samantha Mugatsia) fall in love with the vibrant daughter of her father's political rival, Ziki (Sheila Munyiva). With displays of homosexual romance illegal in Kenya, the two kind young women dare to love one another when the world around them tries to keep them apart.
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Gorgeously shot and with a luminous colour palette, Kahiu has crafted a visually arresting and sensual film, but one with laced with innocence.
Rafiki is actually a rather simple courtship built on affection and without the overwhelming lust that most mainstream gay romances pursue. To some, this may feel censored, but here and within this context, it feels all the more powerful.
Mugatsia is an engaging presence as Kena, a woman looking to use her intelligence and masculine side to pursue a medical career while her parents fall further apart.
Fitting in with the homophobic family and friends she grew up with is working for Kena, but it is Ziki's presence in her life that changes all of that.
Munyiva conveys what a free-spirit Ziki is and brings a delightful easy-going tone to the earlier scenes as the two lead characters grow closer.
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Amongst the sharp colours and distinctive sounds of Nairobi, two women fall unselfishly and blissfully in love with one another, but forces in their own families and in their culture are intent on undoing their happiness.
As the inevitable climax nears, Rafiki does not shy away from the reality of LGBTQ+ lives in Kenya but offers a message of hope and light in the dark.
In a short and sweet manner, this film is a testament to how film can really make a difference and give the marginalized a voice.
Verdict
Rafiki is a gorgeous love story that breaks down boundaries in a simplistic but sensual and colourful style.
Rafiki is released in UK cinemas on April 12, 2019. It was shown at both the BFI London Film Festival 2018 and the BFI Flare Film Festival 2019.
