It took four years, from conception to completion, to put together the anthology film, Map Your Love. Shot entirely on smartphones, by activists in countries such as Burkina Faso, Tunisia, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Jamaica, Peru and Canada, the four films which make up the anthology “showcase deeply personal stories that explore the complexities of queer love, identity, and resilience in nations where homosexuality is criminalised”.
As a result of this criminalisation – and in order to protect the identities of those involved in the creation of this 41-minute anthology – the film is only viewable at screenings held in secure locations. From June this year, to date, such screenings were held in countries across Africa (Zimbabwe, Eswatini, Nigeria, Tanzania, Ghana and Ethiopia) as well as Canada.
Karin Hazé is the founder and director of 75 Shots, the Canada-based organisation which spearheaded the project. Hazé says: “Every screening in Africa was conducted underground, ranging from private gatherings in homes where traditional coffee ceremonies and food were shared, to full-scale festivals at undisclosed locations for safety reasons. Some were also held in community centres run by feminist activists. Each screening was unique, courageous, and extraordinary.”
For Beyond the Margins, Carl Collison spoke to three queer rights activists – Ghana’s Prince Frimpong, Tanzania’s Mwamba T Nyanda and Zimbabwe-based Kudzai Kay-Dee – all of whom participated in the creation of this anthology, and also put together a screening of the four-part film in their respective countries.
In this conversation, the activists discuss what drew them to film as an advocacy tool, how the medium is shaping their activism, and how – particularly in repressive contexts – there is great power in telling one’s story.
Carl Collison (CC): So, tell us about the screenings. How did it go? What stood out for you?
Kudzai Kay-Dee (KK): I engaged an LBQ organisation [here in Zimbabwe]. They were [due to have] a meeting…So, I took that opportunity to go there and screen our films. What stood out for me the most in terms of the people who were watching is that they realised that we’re using really simple gadgets to come up with something so beautiful; something so moving…We also had conversations around privilege…and how we can be more supportive in our communities; how we can support each other, encourage each other to, you know, live our lives to the fullest.
CC: Prince, you are based in Ghana, but helped with putting together a screening in Lagos [Nigeria]. How did that screening go?
Prince Frimpong (PF): So, I collaborated with a youth-led organisation in Lagos, and we did the screening together. They were doing a couple of activities for Pride in Lagos…So, yeah, we did a screening, and [about 25] LGBTQI youth [attended]. It was amazing, you know, to witness this community coming together to watch Map Your Love. How it resonated with them was powerful to watch. And I think what really struck me was how people decode the Map Your Love film in their own ways; in their own understanding…It felt so surreal. And it felt like, you know, people are really getting into the film that we’ve made. People are really resonating with it in their own ways…and how they see themselves in the film that we made.
And they were surprised that the film was even made [on] a mobile phone. You know, when the film started, I told them: ‘Don’t have any expectations. It is not the traditional way of making films. Just watch with an open-mindedness, and just let yourself flow in what you’re about to watch.’ They did, and they were stunned.
Mwamba T Nyanda (MN): The movie screening we did was done on the 30th of June. We wanted to share these narrative stories of our lives on the African continent. And also to tell people that it is possible to narrate a story through the use of a phone, for example an iPhone or Samsung. And that, as an activist, a smartphone can be a tool for advocacy. Luckily, the turnout was good. A lot of members showed up [and] a lot were intrigued and also interested in learning how to create movies through mobile phones, because most of the queer people in our society are very shy, but they are willing to tell their stories [from] behind the camera. So, that was a good take-away for me.
CC: I love how all your audiences spoke about the fact that these films were made with phones. I, myself, make all my films with just an iPhone, and a little tripod. I love how it democratises filmmaking, and how it levels the playing field in terms of who gets to tell their stories, whose stories get told, and how they are told. So, I’m very pleased that that is something that came up for you. None of you are filmmakers, right? All of you are queer activists in your respective countries. So, what made you decide to use film as a tool for your advocacy?
KK: I think the first thing is accessibility. That, you know, it’s just…in your hand. And you want to tell a story or stories in the most authentic way. So, [with traditional filmmaking,] by the time you get to the camera, and you know, all that editing, it kind of takes away from the rawness of the story. So, the phone is the one thing that’s in your pocket that you can randomly take out and, you know, start building something; start creating something.
PF: I feel like filmmaking – you know, mobile filmmaking to me – it’s like a creative element when it comes to digital activism. It’s a powerful tool. And in my advocacy work, I feel like it is a way to establish the visibility of the LGBT community in Ghana and also across Africa. I’ve always been someone who loves employing creative elements when it comes to…just putting our work online and utilising digital tools to drive positive change. So, to me, using mobile filmmaking or even arriving to do Map Your Love…it’s a way for me to, you know, tell stories that have been overlooked and tell it my own way. And utilise these mechanisms, or these tools, to tell these stories with no restrictions, with no boundaries and tell it unapologetically. So, yeah…I loved every bit of it.
MN: I’ve always been interested in knowing about films and how to create [them], because I felt that, at one point in my life, this could be a good tool to sustain myself. So, I wanted this to be part of my career. That is number one.
Number two is I am very interested in telling our stories. Because, as Africans, we have a lot of untold stories which we hide under the rugs due to the country contexts. I think narrating stories through film is a great way to reach people. So, I thought that being equipped myself with film skills can also help me to run my advocacy well. And it did. So, I’m glad I have these film skills. Using [a] mobile phone is such a simple tool, but it reaches mass[es of] people.
CC: All of your respective countries criminalise queerness. So, was safety not a concern for you in putting the film screenings together? Was that something that you had to navigate?
PF: For me, as a frontline activist, I tend to prioritise safety mechanisms. I put those things in place when it comes to doing this filmmaking and making sure that my safety is guaranteed and people who are part of the film, their safety is also guaranteed. So, even with the screening of Map Your Love, we had a clear policy when it comes to, you know, people taking pictures. Even when we were taking pictures, we had to not put some images on social media, because some creators or some performers in the film had strict rules [about] not putting their identity on social media, because their country is very homophobic or has homophobic legislation.
And even when we were [screening] Map Your Love itself, we didn’t publicise [it in] the traditional media or publicise it on YouTube or those kinds of stuff…We have to do our due diligence to safeguard the film.
CC: And for you, Mwamba?
MN: During the preparation for this screening, safety was my number one item that I had to look into. So, that is why I chose the screening place to be the British [High Commissioners] residence, because there we are very safe. No one can raid us. No one can disturb us. No one can say anything about it. And it is a very secure place with maximum security, and such a big, huge open area where everyone was free to be themselves.
CC: How has this experience with film shaped your activism?
MN: Filming has definitely impacted my activism. It has also shaped my activism because, number one, I have evolved from the strategies that I [employ] in the organisation. Because, for many years, we have been giving people capacity. We have been providing emergency support. We have been providing entrepreneurship skills. But we never have dealt with art or arti-vism; using art – music, dancing and filming – in advocating for our rights, visibility and freedom. So, this category of art, which is filming, has given me power. To me, it’s like a superpower because I get to narrate the stories, and create them however I want [in order] to pass on messages to the community at large.
The other form of activism is good, but it takes long to reach the people. But through film, I’ve seen that it is active and fast. So, I am very happy that I have evolved to the use of filming as a tool to bring liberation. And I’m still continuing to use film in my advocacy, because it also helps me to help others open new doors. For example, I am becoming a film coach whereby I direct others on how to properly use their cellphones as a tool to bring changes in their lives. So, this has impacted me largely in my life. As an individual and, uh, yeah I try as much as I can to just include film in my everyday work. So, it has really impacted my life and opened doors for myself and others.
KK: I think, going forward, I’ll definitely continue to use film and maybe not just film, but even pictures…[created with] my mobile phone. Because it’s the one thing that is always in my pocket – other than my wallet. And I can always use that to tell different stories. Like you were saying, these are stories that are not told. These are stories that we’re telling in repressive countries. We don’t stop telling the stories because of the nature of the environment. [So,] this is actually a very innovative and creative way to continue telling these stories in otherwise unsafe environment[s]. And I think what I’m most interested in, going forward, is not really me being [the one] making the films, but maybe teaching younger activists – or even older activists – how they can tell their story from their pockets. We can never overemphasise the importance of being able to tell queer stories in an otherwise repressive movement. So, it’s always important to find ways – creative ways – to tell authentic stories and especially telling them ourselves.
CC: And Prince? For you?
PF: You know, as part of my advocacy, I’m always preaching about queer joy, queer liberation, queer freedom, and, you know, living our authentic self, unapologetically. You know, we are living in a homophobic country. And that is how it’s going to be. I feel like how does it all end when we are being killed and discriminated [against]? But when we take ownership of our own stories and tell them authentically, I feel like that is a way for us to mobilise more support networks, gain more resources, and, you know, invite people to the table to [discuss] critical issues that we face as a queer community. And these [things] can be done through filmmaking. So, it has really shaped my activism in so many ways. I mean, you know, it’s a new wave of activism. It’s a new way of telling queer stories and giving us that kind of visibility or recognition that we need as a queer community. So, for me, it is something that I’m always going to adopt in my advocacy: continue telling queer stories, continue telling Ghanaian queer stories and using these tools to Africanise and, ultimately, reshape our narrative.