The Pearl of Africa

The Pearl of Africa

HDCS/ES
Director:Jonny Vallström
Length:74 minutes
Genre:Document

International Competition

Director: Jonny Vallström

Cleopatra found herself on the front page of the newspaper – but not as a star. She is transgender and lives in Uganda. Although since the days of Winston Churchill this country has been famously called the "Pearl of Africa" for its wealth and the diversity of its nature, social diversity is prospering far less here. LGBT people are lynched by mainstream society and lawmakers want homosexuality to be punishable by death. This widescreen road movie about Cleopatra and her boyfriend Nelson tells the story of a journey to a better future. And Nelson's love and family relationships suggest that this story could have an unexpectedly happy ending.

Length: 74 min

Year: 2016

Country of origin:

  • Uganda
  • Thailand
  • Sweden
  • Kenya

International Competition

Director: Jonny Vallström

Cleopatra found herself on the front page of the newspaper – but not as a star. She is transgender and lives in Uganda. Although since the days of Winston Churchill this country has been famously called the "Pearl of Africa" for its wealth and the diversity of its nature, social diversity is prospering far less here. LGBT people are lynched by mainstream society and lawmakers want homosexuality to be punishable by death. This widescreen road movie about Cleopatra and her boyfriend Nelson tells the story of a journey to a better future. And Nelson's love and family relationships suggest that this story could have an unexpectedly happy ending.

Year: 2016

Country of origin:

  • Uganda
  • Thailand
  • Sweden
  • Kenya