Geschichten von Liebe und Selbstentdeckung

As part of Follow the tree flowers, only the tree flowers

14 Years and A Day, Ayo Lawson and Uyaiedu Ikpe-Etim, 2023, Nigeria, short film, 20' 49", English OV

After fourteen years in a relationship, a restless young woman finds herself in conflict with her partner over love, passion and self-discovery. Out of sheer frustration, she consoles herself with a lonely dinner, unaware that fate has something extraordinary in store for her. The stars align for her as she meets a fascinating stranger whose mere presence ignites a storm of doubt in her heart. A single encounter shakes the foundations of her relationship and forces her to question the path she previously thought was so safe.

That Ugandan Flaming Homosexual, DeLovie Kwagala Aka Papa De, 2023, Uganda, documentary, 29' 13", Ugandan OV with English subtitles

The images are missing. Overlaid by the experiences of violence, the images of memory are missing, distorted visions of the past. How are you supposed to know who you are if the images and emotional sketches of growing up have been erased? The short film That Ugandan Flaming Homosexual tells a story about growing up in Uganda. Ugandan governments have been persecuting LGBTQI+ people for years and imposing draconian punishments for their 'crimes'. In 2023, President Yoweri Museveni signed such a law, which is tantamount to a death threat and fuels an atmosphere of fear and oppression. According to Delovie Kwagala aka Papa De, the film tells a story of her constant becoming, rooted in the traumatic experience of growing up 'different' but never knowing what different meant. It documents how De grapples with their sexuality and identity in a homophobic society and eventually becomes the first openly non-binary queer photographer in Uganda. The work shows how their anger and need to be heard and seen turned into activism and a commitment to a collective articulation of African queerness and resilience.

Thrall, Logan February, 2024, Germany, short film, 9' 15", English OV

In search of psychic transformation through transgressive desire, Logan February's poetry film Thrall explores the queer African body as a site of desire and power, violence and vulnerability, endurance and escape, as found in the psychology of BDSM (Bondage and Discipline, Dominance and Submission, Sadism and Masochism).

With contributions from:

Ayo Lawson, DeLovie Kwagala a.k.a Papa De, Logan February, Uyaiedu Ikpe-Etim