LGBTQ+ documentaries from Africa

A list of films featuring interviews with trans, gay and bi people across the continent

Born this Way (Cameroon)

In this award-winning 2013 documentary, several young gay Cameroonians share their experiences living in a country that they love, but which has more arrests for homosexuality than any other country in the world. They want to work towards a future Cameroon where all people can be safe, regardless of perceived sexual orientation.

Content note: hate crimes, violence.

Call me Kuchu (Uganda)

This award-winning 2012 documentary interviews a number of gay and lesbian Ugandans, including activist David Kato, the first openly gay man in Uganda, who was murdered before the completion of the film; and Naomi Ruzindana, founder of Coalition of African Lesbians.

Content note: hate speech, violence, religious trauma

I Am Samuel (Kenya)

This 2021 documentary follows the life of Samuel, a gay Christian navigating the conflict between his duty to his parents and his love for his boyfriend Alex. Samuel wishes for his parents to accept his sexuality and his dreams for the future.

Directed by Pete Murimi, this in verité style film spans five years. 

Full documentary on We are Pride YouTube channel

Content note: hate crimes, violence

My Transgender Life (South Africa)

In this short documentary released by DOCi South Africa, Simamkele, a young transwoman, shares her gender journey: she was aware of her gender identity at a young age and wore girls’ uniforms in school. While Simankele’s mother is largely supportive, she encounters a mixed reception from classmates and larger society.

Tchindas (Cape Verde)

This award-winning 2015 documentary focuses on the life of Tchinda Andrade, a beloved transgender woman who plays a central role in the Carnival preparations on São Vicente.

Watch on https://guidedoc.tv/documentary/tchindas_-documentary-film/ or https://cinelogue.com/film/tchindas /

The Art of Sin (Sudan)

The subject of this award-winning 2020 documentary is Ahmed Umar, a genderfluid queer Sudanese refugee who settled in Norway. There, he received his master’s degree in art and became a renowned visual artist. A decade after leaving Sudan, Umar visited his home country, connecting with members of Sudan’s LGBTQ+ community. 

Director Ibrahim Mursal is a Somali refugee who spent 12 years in Sudan before re-settling in Norway.

The Legend of the Underground (Nigeria)

This 2021 documentary follows a group of young gender-nonconforming Nigerians seeking the freedom to live publicly as their full authentic selves in a country where same-sex relations are illegal. One of the main subjects is Mikael Ighodaro, a Nigerian gay rights activist who was granted asylum in the US after surviving a violent attack in 2012.

Content note: hate crimes, police harassment

The Pearl of Africa (Uganda)

This 2016 documentary focuses on the life and work of Cleopatra Kambugu Kentaro, an openly transgender woman and human rights activist who has a Master of Science from Makerere University. Watch Episode 1 “A Ugandan Transgender Girl Fight for her Right to Love” on YouTube.

Content note: transphobia, hate harassment, discrimination

Woubi Chéri (Côte d'Ivoire)

This 1998 documentary from the Ivory Coast shows the lives of Abidjan residents who hold various identities in the local queer community:  "woubi", meaning a gay man or a transwoman who plays the role of a “wife” in a relationship with a cis man, and "yossi", a cis man who is a husband to a woubi. Yossis are often bisexual and also in heterosexual marriages.

Content note: transphobia, hate harassment

Not an exhaustive list. Possible future updates.