Prominent Kenya writer, director and film maker, Wanuri Kahiu has called for greater tolerance of gay Africans across the continent.
In March, Kenya’s parliamentary majority leader claimed that homosexuality is something as serious as terrorism, saying, “We need to go on and address this issue the way we want to address terrorism.”
However this has not deterred Kahiu, who has spoke out and stated that…
“Homosexuality is not un-African, what is un-African is homophobia”
Wanuri Kahiu
Kahiu is a vibrant figure in African culture’s new wave scene. She directs both documentaries and fictional films. Her most celebrated film is the short science fiction film Pumzi that premiered at Sundance Film Festival.
Last year, she produced “Homecoming”, a film based on the award winning novel by Monica Arac – Jambula Tree. The story centres on the love between two women in a country where same-sex activity is illegal.
“I wanted to tell this story because of the profound love that the man characters had for each other. Even though it’s a hard subject because it’s taboo, it was very important for me to tell a love story because that’s what it is: how true love can triumph over everything.”
Wanuri Kahiu