The banned Kenyan film ‘Rafiki’ won the ‘Free to be Me’ award at the 2019 Rose Filmdagen Film Festival held in the Netherlands, adding to its growing list of international awards won. It became the first Kenyan film to be screened at the Cannes Film Festival.
The film, which was banned in Kenya by the Kenya Film Classification Board, became an instant hit to the international community. Giving reasons for the ban, KFCB chairperson Ezekiel Mutua had said at the time that the board was not against the whole film but that there were some scenes that they did not agree with.
Dr Mutua became a punching bag for the online community as a result of his utterances, with many saying he overstepped his mandate and that of the board. In his defence, Mutua had said the board asked Wanuri Kahiu, the director, to edit out the scenes that did not sit well with the board but Wanuri did not.
The film festival, which concluded after running for 11 days, prides itself as the longest running and the largest film festival for LGBQT films in the Netherlands. The win comes days after the Court of Appeal ruled that the National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission can be registered as an NGO. The recognition also shines the light to its Director Wanuri, who not long ago landed her second film to direct in Hollywood. She is set to direct Clovers and The Thing About Jellyfish.