Queer Kampala International Film Festival held in secret

Remaining films shown despite police raid

by Jennie Kermode

Kampala - the festival was held in a secret location
Kampala - the festival was held in a secret location Photo: Simisa

After it was raided by armed police last month, it looked as if it was all over for the Queer Kampala International Film Festival, but it has now emerged that the remainder of the event was able to go ahead in secret, pulling in an audience of 500 people despite fears of further violence.

Why take such a risk? The organisers have said that they felt obliged to screen the remaining films because they had promised the filmmakers - who hail from several different African countries - that they would do so. They used a secret venue and didn't invite those they suspected of leaking details of the previous one. The festival went ahead on the 28th and 29th of December. It was organised through mobile phone communications following an announcement on Twitter.

The organisers, who stressed that the police raid breached Ugandan law, also revealed plans to screen some of the films online.

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