A feature film directed by award winning film producer and writer Wanuri Kahiu has made history by becoming the first Kenyan film to be invited to premier at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.

“I’m so excited!!!! We did it!!! My new film RAFIKI is invited to premiere at Cannes Film Festival. First Kenyan feature film to be invited to the festival. Please join me in congratulating the Kenyan cast and crew! What an amazing feat!” Wanuri broke the news on Twitter.

“Rafiki” Controversial LGBT FILM

Rafiki, starring Samantha Mugatsia and Sheila Munyiva centers on the controversial LGBT theme and tells the story of a love story between two girls.

“RAFIKI” is a love story about Kena and Ziki who live in a housing estate in Nairobi. The girls are unlikely friends and their fathers are rivaling politicians. When they fall in love and the community find out, the girls are forced to choose between love and safety.

Wanuri observes that although there are challenges of producing a film about a lesbian love story in Africa, “the obstacles highlights how urgent and necessary a story of this kind is”.

The film, which was shot in location in Nairobi, is a Kenyan-South African-French-Lebanese-Dutch-German coproduction.

Rafiki is Kahiu’s second feature film, following her 2009 drama “From a Whisper.”

The Cannes Festival

The Cannes Film Festival is the world’s prestigious annual film festival held in France.

Festival de Cannes previews new films of all genres around the world and is an invitation-only festival.

The 2018 festival runs from May 8th – 19th.