Rafiki

Now Playing

1h 23m

Drama

Romance

LGBTQ+

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List

94%

80 Reviews

Tomatometer

73%

50+ Ratings

Audience Score

Kena and Ziki live very different lives in Nairobi. Kena works in her father's shop and awaits the start of nursing school, while Ziki passes the days hanging out with her friends and making up dance routines. Their paths cross when their fathers run against each other for seats in the County Assembly, and they find themselves drawn to each other. Soon their interest grows to affection and the girls find ways to love each other despite the ever-watching gaze of the neighborhood.

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Critics Consensus

Rafiki tells a familiar story with bracing originality, marking director/co-writer Wanuri Kahiu as a talent to watch.

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Mariana R

la quiero mucho maestra adriana usted es cine

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

12/08/23

Full Review

PridePosterStudios

“We’re gonna be something”

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/26/24

Full Review

david l

Rafiki is a lesbian drama that was banned in its native Kenya, but received strong reviews in the West and deservedly so. Though a bit simplistic in plot and too unrealistic in its hopeful ending, the tender dynamic between the two main characters was sweet while the brutality of the second half was heartbreaking. The movie is also very well directed and quite colorful in its cinematography and production design.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Audience Member

I absolutely loved the movie. I would definitely give a rewatch. The colors and the soundtrack absolutely immaculate.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/22/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Very few films capture the human spirit as vividly or as painfully as Rafiki does. Every aspect of the film is an achievement of it's own, whether it be the smart usage of color, background visuals to highlight how characters feel, or even just the heart breaking story it follows. Rafiki had me hooked for every second it was on. By the end, I was spun around by so many emotions, I had no idea how to feel. Angry, sad, and oddly enough hopeful. This is a movie that made my heart cry and sing. What an awesome and timely film; watch it!

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Beautifully made film with great acting talent on what is a somewhat standard story but significant for its country of origin.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

12/11/19

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Wanuri Kahiu

Director

Samantha Mugatsia

Kena

Sheila Munyiva

Ziki

Jimmi Gathu

John Mwaura

Nini Wacera

Mercy

Dennis Musyoka

Peter Okemi

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Rafiki: Trailer 1

1:51

Rafiki: TIFF Trailer

1:50

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Claudia Puig

FilmWeek (KPCC - NPR Los Angeles)

I really like this film and I think [director] Wanuri Kahiu is definitely someone to watch.

Sep 28, 2019

Full Review

Adam Graham

Detroit News

It's a film that is rushing with energy and life.

Rated: B

May 24, 2019

Full Review

Justin Chang

Los Angeles Times

But to merely describe what happens in "Rafiki" would be to overlook its transporting sense of place, its striking visual pleasures and its credible and moving performances.

May 9, 2019

Full Review

Marya E. Gates

Cool People Have Feelings, Too. (Substack)

Featuring electric performances from its two leads, Kahiu’s film is a vibrant tribute to the power of love and the strength of those who must fight to express it.

Feb 12, 2024

Full Review

KT Mahe

For Your Reference Podcast

What Rafiki has done and will continue to do to in the cinematic landscape of Queer cinema is something that cannot be watered down in any aspect.

Rated: 4.5/5

Oct 9, 2023

Full Review

Oti

For Your Reference Podcast

We get to experience what it's like for the Queer community in Kenya. Not being recognised, the stigma that follows and what it would do to young people trying to navigate their way of experiencing love.

Rated: 5/5

Oct 9, 2023

Full Review

Read all reviews

Synopsis

Kena and Ziki live very different lives in Nairobi. Kena works in her father's shop and awaits the start of nursing school, while Ziki passes the days hanging out with her friends and making up dance routines. Their paths cross when their fathers run against each other for seats in the County Assembly, and they find themselves drawn to each other. Soon their interest grows to affection and the girls find ways to love each other despite the ever-watching gaze of the neighborhood.

Director: Wanuri Kahiu
Screenwriter: Wanuri Kahiu, Jenna Cato Bass
Distributor: Film Movement
Production Co: Rinkel Film, Schortcut Films, Big World Cinema, MPM Film, Razor Film Produktion GmbH, Afro Bubble Gum production, Ape&Bjørn AS
Genre: Drama, Romance, LGBTQ+
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 19, 2019, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 13, 2019
Box Office (Gross USA): $137.2K
Runtime: 1h 23m

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