A scene from the film titled "Fluorescent Sin" : An international collaborative short film that chronicles a drag queen having a nervous breakdown at a Nairobi transport station. PHOTO | CORRESPONDENT |
By SAMANTHA SPOONER in NairobiPosted Tuesday, September 13 2011 at 15:49
Kenya has made history by hosting the region’s first gay film festival.
The event, titled the OUT film festival, showcased films, features and documentaries on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) issues in Africa.
Organisers said it presented an opportunity to depict the lives, stories of love and challenges that homosexuals face.
The festival was organised by Gay Kenya in conjunction with the Swiss embassy and Kenya’s Goethe Institute, which also hosted it.
Founders of Gay Kenya say it was formed to help advance the visibility of the community, challenge the negative perceptions that exist and bring to light the abuses the community endures.
The gay film festival organisers said they had initially catered for an audience of 60 people, but ended up having to turn some away after more than 200 showed up.
Most of the audience were young Kenyans, but approximately 10-15 per cent were foreigners.
Most were students, interested in the cultural side of the festival and local productions, although curiosity was also a great factor for the attendance of many.
Films featured were from India, Kenya, Uganda and Germany and there was a special appearance by Lionel Baier, a renowned Swiss filmmaker, who showcased his La Parade.
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