Educational Media Reviews Online

This video is a snapshot documentary in the very best sense. The footage is made up of unscripted conversations with gay men (woubis) from the Ivory Coast - sometimes one-on-one, sometimes in groups. It seems to have been filmed over the course of a few days or weeks, segments of which were then loosely strung together with certain recurring themes and individuals. The segments form a series of vignettes focusing on a few main individuals, who describe their lives, their families, their relationships, and their place in African society.

As a document of a moment in time, it serves to tell us anecdotally about gay life in Africa, but as acceptance of homosexuality increases in Africa it will serve as a testimonial to the struggles of individuals. Some of the men interviewed have a kind of devil-may-care attitude toward their acceptance by the larger heterosexual culture that reminds one of the "we're here, we're queer" attitude that can be found in the U.S. They're not having a pride parade in Abidjan just yet, but they are having parties. The video includes footage of a party organized by the ICTA (Ivory Coast Transvestite Association) where there is dancing, cross-dressing, and lots of fun.

There are two drawbacks to the video. The first is that it is very male-oriented - there is little mention of lesbians and it would be interesting to find out about their lives in the Ivory Coast as well. The second drawback is the lack of additional factual information. It would be very interesting to have these very personal conversations situated within the larger context of African life, culture, and politics.

This is a conversational, personal documentary video giving us a snapshot of gay life in the Ivory Coast and as such it is well done. Just don't expect hard-hitting journalism or loads of factual information. Recommended.