The Pearl of Africa

Winston Churchill called Uganda "the pearl of Africa," by which he may have meant to celebrate the country's beauty and natural diversity. But human diversity is not a quality Ugandans have embraced—it is one of the most homophobic countries in the world. Recently, Uganda gained notoriety by passing antigay legislation that criminalizes homosexuality or even the "promotion" of homosexuality. This short film introduces viewers to Cleo, a trans woman living in urban Uganda with her straight-identified boyfriend Nelson. Cleo seems to be mostly accepted by her family, and she and Nelson are often able to pass as a straight couple. But the new laws jeopardize their safety, and things get worse when Cleo is exposed on the front page of a tabloid newspaper, driving the couple into hiding. Unfortunately, production values are low, the subtitles are rife with typos, and there are no credits (seemingly because the filmmaker worked on the project alone). There are important details of the story that are only fully explained on the filmmaker's website.