Needs translation: Filmstill aus I miss you when I see you, ein Mann sieht einem anderen mit Fahrrad auf der nächtlichen Straße an
Needs translation: Filmstill aus Sidney and Friends, eine als Frau lesbare Person blickt aus einem Fenster

Hit in the middle

Thursday, October 19th 2018

8pm, Passage 1

Sidney & Friends

Tristan Aitchison, Kenia/UK 2017, 75’, Originalfassung Englisch/Suaheli mit englischen und deutschen Untertiteln

With guests

This no-budget documentary by Tristan Aitchison offers a glimpse of Kenya’s intersex and trans* communities interspersed with the personal stories of Sidney and his friends. Scorned by his local community and his family, who claim he is possessed by demons that made him want to be a boy, Sidney flees to Nairobi to find support in an otherwise homophobic, transphobic world, in a search for visibility and dignity. This important film depicts how individuals have to regularly struggle for visibility and dignity, and is a moving testimony of hope and dreams, despite fear.

Presented by Drei Linden

Needs translation: Filmstill aus RAFIKI, eine junge Frau flechtet einer anderen die Haare

Opening

Lights! Camera! Action! Put on your glad rags! The red carpet awaits you! Hugs and kisses here and there. Cheers! Long time no see! The excitement grows! Lights out! Spot on! Give a warm welcome to Saskia Lavaux and enjoy a selection of queer pop songs from the Hamburg band ‘Schrottgrenze’ who is accompanying this year’s Gala.

Our film for the opening gala is “Rafiki”, the 
first Kenyan film ever to be screened at the film festival in Cannes. Banned in Kenya for depicting homosexuality in a positive light, which is prohibited, the film is an example of director Wanuri Kahiu’s newly-created film genre ‘Afro-Bubblegum’. “Afro-Bubblegum portrays Africa in a hopeful, and enjoyable way. We need new images of Africa.” The film succeeds in this goal, despite the many serious scenes.

Ziki and Kena get to know each other in the suburbs of Nairobi, increasingly spending more and more time together. The affection the two young women have and show for each other attracts the attention of their neighbours, and 
also the suspicion of Kena’s best friend, who’s cast his eye on her. That their fathers are opposing politicians doesn’t help the situation either. 
But the two are quite unimpressed by opinion 
and a wonderful love story begins!