RAFIKI
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. Initially banned in Kenya for its positive portrayal of queer romance, RAFIKI won a landmark supreme court case, chipping away at Kenyan anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. Featuring remarkable performances by newcomers Samantha Mugatsia and Sheila Munyiva, RAFIKI is a hip tale of first love that Screen Daily calls “reminiscent of the early work of Spike Lee,” and Variety hails as “impossible not to celebrate.” (Note courtesy of Film Movement.) DIR/SCR Wanuri Kahiu; SCR Jenna Cato Bass, from the short story “Jambula Tree” by Monica Arac de Nyeko; PROD Steven Markovitz. Kenya, 2018, color, 83 min. In Swahili and English with English subtitles. NOT RATED
Run Time: 83 Minutes
Opening Date: Saturday, June 14, 2025
Genre: Drama, romance
