Banned Kenyan gay film, Rafiki was showered with praise in France during the Cannes Festival.
Wanuri Kahiu, the director of the film and two other cast members-Samantha Mugatsia and Sheila Munyiva were feted at the festival.
Wanuri was visibly excited given that the film is the first of the kind from Kenya to ever be selected for the festival in France.
The controversial Rafiki film was banned by the Kenya Film Classification Boad CEO Ezekiel Mutua.
Asked about this, Wanuri told AFP that Mutua had at first lauded the film but later criticized and banned it.
If premiered in Kenya, the film could expressly land Wanuri in jail as promoting LGBT content is outlawed.
She said besides the moral concept which led to its banning, they are talking about what many people in Africa cannot talk about; to her she is creating awareness.
“Africa is always depicted as a place with lots of pain, suffering, war and disease,” said the 37-year old film director.
She further said: “Our ambition is to make sure the image of Africa is also fun, joyous and full of hope. Afro bubblegum’ is a genre we just invented. Unfortunately not enough people know about the way people live in modern Africa..”
“We want to celebrate African urban pop culture. We have experienced films and books being banned in the past and now they are absolutely available in Kenya. Sometimes art comes out from exile.”
She added that the society in Kenya is “quite conservative” which led to the ban.
“We know we live in a conservative society…We’re having a conversation not only about the LGBT community but also about freedom of expression and the right for artists to express themselves.”