by Thinus Ferreira
Kenya's censorship body has once again banned yet another gay film in a move that will inflict further damage on the country's struggling film and TV industry with the documentary film from Peter Murimi, I Am Samuel, that has been banned in the East African nation and slammed as "blasphemous" for featuring two men kissing.
AFP reports that the Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) on Thursday banned the "unacceptable" documentary, I Am Samuel, with the KFCB noting that "any attempt to exhibit, distribute, broadcast or possess the restricted film within the Republic of Kenya shall, therefore, be met with the full force of the law."
According to the film description of the 52-minute long I Am Samuel documentary, director Peter Murimi, chronicles the story of how "Samuel, a gay Kenyan man, balances duty to his family with his love for his partner, Alex, in a country where their love is criminalised".
In April 2018 Kenya banned Rafiki from filmmaker Wanuri Kahiu shortly before its Cannes Film Festival debut because the lesbian story contained kissing scenes.
In June 2017 the KFCB – citing bogus reasons culled from conspiracy theory websites – banned The Loud House, Legend of Korra and Hey Arnold from ViacomCBS' Nickelodeon (DStv 305) channel, Star vs the Forces of Evil and Gravity Falls from Disney XD, as well as Adventure Time and Steven Universe from WarnerMedia's Cartoon Network (DStv 301) because of "gay" content.
In November 2017 it banned the teenage show Andi Mack from the Disney Channel (DStv 303) because one of the characters is gay.
In a statement the Kenya Film Classification Board CEO Christopher Wambua says the KFCB is banning I Am Samuel since the film is "a clear and deliberate attempt by the producer to promote same-sex marriage as an acceptable way of life".
"This attempt is evident through the repeated confessions by the gay couple that what they feel for each other is normal and should be embraced as a way of life, as well as the character's body language, including scenes of kissing of two male lovers."
"The documentary ultimately features marriage marriage of two men, and concludes with the dedication of the film to the gay community."
Christopher Wambua says that I Am Samuel "tries to influence the viewer into believing that the older generation that was once against LGBTQ+ is slowly buying into the practice and accepting same-sex marriage as a normal way of life".
"Worse still, the production is demeaning of Christianity as two gay men in the film purport to conduct a religious marriage invoking the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit" with the KFCB noting that it finds the "the documentary not only blasphemous but also an attempt to use religion to advocate for same-sex marriage".
The Kenya Film Classification Board added that it "welcomes local and foreign support to our budding local film industry, such funding should focus on production of content that is aligned with the laws of the country. Films that advocate same-sex marriage, homosexuality, or any outlawed practices shall not be allowed for exhibition, broadcast or distribution within the country".
I Am Samuel was already screened at several film festivals.
In October 2020 Peter Murimi told AFP in an interview that the film is "very nuanced, it's very balanced; it's a story about a family that is struggling with this issue, having a gay son. So we'll just try our best and hopefully Kenyans will see it".
