Actress Sheila Munyiva admits to being nervous about Rafiki. After all, it was a film centred around the love of two women, set in her home country of Kenya, where homosexuality remains illegal and punishable by imprisonment.
"This [the anxiety] was before the shooting, before being told that I had the role," she tells SBS Pride from Kenya.
"I remember being hesitant," she adds. "Kenya is a very conservative country, very backed by religion and politics, and I wondered what it would mean for me, I wondered about my security, whether I would be thrown in prison or get any more work."
However, Munyiva says that any initial anxiety was soon quelled by the script's undeniable impact.
"The casting director sent me the script and I fell in love - it was the most beautiful thing I'd read. So many people I knew were represented in the film. It became a no-brainer."
Rafiki, which translates to 'friend', was released around the world in 2018 and directed by Wanuri Kahiu, who has since been . With an impressive , the heartfelt drama tells a story of friendship and the forbidden love that grows between two young women, Kena (Samantha Mugatsia)and Ziki (Munyiva), amidst family and political pressures in Kenya.
Even prior to its release, Rafiki was recognised as a landmark film for Kenya. So much so that, despite being the first Kenyan film to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, it was banned by the Kenya Film Classification Board, with local screenings in the African nation forbidden.
"My goodness, it was magical," Munyiva recalls of attending Cannes.
With news of the the independent film being banned locally, Rafiki quickly generated buzz at the prestigious French festival, with screenings selling out and big-name jury members raving about its significance.
"I remember getting ready and everyone was looking at us in awe," Munyiva tells SBS Pride.
"I remember getting ready and everyone was looking at us in awe," Munyiva tells SBS Pride. "We had the whole thing, we walked the red carpet, the photographers were shouting at us. We had never watched the film, so there we were being chic and beautiful with everyone from Cate Blanchette to Kristen Stewart, watching the film for the first time."
Despite representing a subtle shift in how communities in Kenya view LGBTIQ+ rights (the film's ban was lifted for a 7-day period to make it eligible for the Academy Awards, with local screenings selling out), Rafiki also hints at an existing appetite for positive, optimistic, ideal-challenging stories out of Africa.
"If you look at what's happening around the World, there's been huge movement of acceptance," Munyiva says. "It was important for us to do a film that was done through the female gaze, to give an idea of the bliss that can exist between two women who are connecting."
One of the problems, the actress says, is a distinct lack of on-screen representation for young people growing up in African nations.
"Growing up, for a millennial, we didn't have much representation," she says.
"I grew up watching Hannah Montana. I thought my skin should be fairer, I thought my hair should be straighter. So now for people in Kenya, for those struggling with their sexuality, who are forced to stay in the closet, they feel like their experiences aren't shared and they're going through this thing alone.
"But then you go to the cinema and you get to see a true reflection of yourself in its proper glory - it gives you a sense of acceptance. It helps you get out of this shell you've created to protect yourself."
We're here and queer and we’re making beautiful art and your going to sit down and see it.
She adds: "Having women of colour on screen is so important. The beauty of our film is that there are so many women represented. The director and writer and much of the crew and cast were women. Women are front and centre. We're here and queer and we’re making beautiful art and your going to sit down and see it."
If nothing else, Rafiki's unprecedented success on the international festival circuit has given Munyiva a sense of hope for both her industry and country.
"Once Rafiki was banned, there were a lot of things said about the film, it was labelled pornographic, so that's what a lot of Kenyans viewed it as. But we got the film unbanned for seven days and we sold out every single screening," she tells SBS Pride.
We’re not ignorant anymore. We celebrate love.
"People were demanding we opened other screens, waiting on the street. People were showing up - and the amazing thing, their reactions to the film have been so positive, to the point of holding the Kenya Film Classification Board accountable."
"That kind of response really shows where the future of Kenya is," she says.
"We’re not ignorant anymore. We celebrate love."
As for Minyiva's career, things are looking up. Busily filming self-auditions for big-name directors the world over, the actress is about to play the titular role of Sarafina in a stage production, which represents something of a full-circle moment for the young star.
"The film Sarafina! was made in 1992 and starred Whoopi Goldberg," she explains. "It was one of the films I watched early on in life and I remember thinking 'wow, a black woman on screen.'"
"It feels like a full circle."
