Kenya / 2018 / 83mins / Drama, Romance / English and Swahili

Bursting with the colorful street style and music of Nairobi’s vibrant youth culture, Rafiki is a tender love story between two young women in a country that still criminalizes homosexuality. Kena and Ziki have long been told that “good Kenyan girls become good Kenyan wives” - but they yearn for something more. Despite the political rivalry between their families, the girls encourage each other to pursue their dreams in a conservative society. When love blossoms between them, Kena and Ziki must choose between happiness and safety.

Wanuri Kahiu

Wanuri Kahiu is an alumna of UCLA’s master’s program in film directing and made her professional debut in 2006, directing a behind-the-scenes documentary, The Spark that Unites. In 2008 she completed her first feature film, From a Whisper, which was based on the real-life events surrounding the 1998 twin bombings of US Embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam. The film went on to win several international awards. In 2009 Kahiu completed a short science-fiction film, Pumzi (Air), which was partially funded by Focus Features (part of NBC Universal), the Goethe-Institut, and Changa Moto Fund in Kenya. Pumzi premiered at Sundance Film Festival and went on to win best short film at Cannes Independent Film Festival and the Silver at Carthage Film Festival. Her 2018 film, Rafiki is the first Kenyan feature film to be invited to Cannes Film Festival 2018 as part of the Official Un Certain Regard selection. Rafiki was banned by the Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) "due to its homosexual theme." Kahiu sued Kenya's government, and the ban was later lifted. After the lift, the film was shown to a sold-out crowd at a cinema in Nairobi. Kahiu is part of AFROBUBBLEGUM a collective of African artists whose ambition is to create fun, frivolous and fierce work. Learn More