UCI International Film Club Presents: Rafiki (2018)

83 minutes, English, Swahili, English subtitles

Taking its euphemistic title from the Swahili word for ‘friend,’ Wanuri Kahiu’s Rafiki (2018) is a dramatic and tender exploration of social obligation, family, and queer womanhood in 21st century Kenya. Set against the backdrop of a hotly contested local election in Nairobi, Rafiki follows Kena (Samantha Mugatsia) and the free-spirited Ziki (Sheila Munyiva), the daughters of two fierce political rivals, as they fall in love and dream of new horizons despite the legal impossibility of their partnership. Rafiki is a fine example of the vivid, slice of life filmmaking that challenges the dominant, Western-centric narratives of the continent. Rafiki is a beautiful love story, boldly directed.

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