Two Men and a wedding

Credits

Name: Two Men and a wedding

Country: Südafrika; Malawi

Year of publication: 2012

Format: digital

Color: color

Language : OF m. dt. UT

Duration: 52 Minuten

Direction: Blecher, Sara

Guest: Hendricks, Muhsin; Muholi, Zanele; Taïa, Abdellah; Zaidi, Yahia; Jetz, Klaus

Abstract

In many African countries, people who do not fit in with heterosexual norms are persecuted. Fundamentalist Christians, Evangelicals, and Muslims are largely responsible for this persecution, wanting to force others to adopt their lifestyles. The Ugandan parliament passed a law making homosexuality punishable by life imprisonment. In Sudan and Nigeria, it is punishable by death. In 37 African countries, homosexuality is officially forbidden.

Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga were confronted by homophobic behaviour in 2009 when they openly held their engagement ceremony in Malawi. It was a small act of love in a suburb of Blantyre. But it sparked a huge crisis for human rights in Malawi, where the antiquated laws from the British colonial period were still on the books, allowing judges to condemn those convicted of homosexuality to 14 years in prison. Director Sara Blecher shows how the engaged men landed in front of one such court. Her film is a striking plea against homophobia and for human rights.