Queer coming-of-age Kenyan drama; some violence, language.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Language
a lot
The language is infrequent but includes "f--k," "f--king," and "s--t." Homophobic terms such as "f--got," "f-g," and "homo" are also used. A same-sex relationship is referred to as "sick."
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.
Infrequent violence includes the two main characters being attacked by a group of people, being punched and kicked, resulting in visible injuries to the face. Another short altercation leaves a character with a split lip. A parent slaps their child across the face. A character forcibly pushes their parent on to a bed.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.
The plot revolves around forbidden love and romance between two characters. Kissing and some touching over the clothes. Sex is implied; no nudity is shown.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.
Portrays power of love, even in an environment where it's forbidden. How hard work and a good education can help achieve dreams. How closed-mindedness and mob mentality can nurture fear and ignorance, in this case toward the LGBTQ+ community.
Positive Role Models
some
Kena is strong, intelligent, independent. She doesn't conform to society in a number of ways, including her personal style. Ziki is confident, free-spirited, similarly unique. Both have dreams of "being something." Much of the rest of the village is strongly guided by religion and tradition, holding strong homophobic views preached in church. Kena's father is one of the few to show acceptance and empathy toward the central same-sex relationship.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Rafiki is a touching romantic drama about two teenage girls who fall in love against the backdrop of a country that still criminalizes homosexuality. Set in a Kenyan village, the film flips between English and Swahili, which is subtitled in English. Homophobic terms are used, including "f--got" and "homo," and views are expressed that the relationship between Kena (Samantha Mugatsia) and Ziki (Sheila Munyiva) is "sick" and that the girls are possessed by demons. Other strong language includes "f--k" and "s--t," but it is infrequent. There are a few instances of moderate violence, including a gang attack that leaves characters with injuries to the face. Teen characters drink alcohol on occasion, though no one is seen intoxicated. There is some kissing and touching over the clothes, and sex is implied, but no nudity is shown. The movie is vibrant and charming in places, and serious and threatening in others, making it unsuitable for younger viewers but not too heavy for teens. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
Incredibly moving, imported, and beautiful movie, however the violence was very intense. Hate crimes and the terror of mob behavior fueled by homophobia was terribly upsetting. If you have religious trauma, it also could be very triggering
What's the Story?
In RAFIKI, Kena (Samantha Mugatsia) spends her time playing football with the boys and studying to become a doctor. Ziki (Sheila Munyiva) makes up dance routines with her friends and dreams of traveling the world. When the two lock eyes, a friendship begins, which slowly blossoms into a romance. But with their fathers going head to head in a local election, and with homophobic views surrounding them on all sides, they must try to keep their relationship a secret in order to survive.
This moving drama made quite an impact on release, in no small part due to its being banned in its home country of Kenya for "its homosexual theme and clear intent to promote lesbianism." When Rafiki was finally screened in Kenya -- for just seven days -- it played to sold-out audiences, and found similar success traveling the festival circuit, where the strong central performances and beautiful direction and cinematography were universally praised.
The story itself is not unusual: it's coming-of-age, it's first love, it's exploring sexual identity in a forbidden environment, it's star-crossed lovers and warring families. Yet the film is blissfully unique in its sense of place and atmosphere of floating just outside of reality. Bustling streets, music and dance, and vivid colors -- particularly the rich pinks and purples displayed in free-spirited Ziki's braided hair -- create a candy-colored escape amid the confinements of religion and tradition. Above all the movie is a celebration of the rebellion against the everyday, against what is expected, against becoming the "ordinary Kenyan girls" the main characters pledge never to be.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the way attitudes toward gender and sexuality affect the characters in Rafiki. Why do you think Kena and Ziki face such bigotry? How do they show courage in the face of it? What can be done to help prevent and combat homophobia and other types of prejudice?
Discuss some of the language used. Did it seem necessary, or excessive? What did it contribute to the movie? How did some of the language make you feel when you heard it?
Talk about the violence in the movie. How did it make you feel? What do you understand about the term "hate crime"?
Forbidden love is a popular theme in movies. How did this story compare to other "forbidden love" films you have seen?
Discuss the use of color in the movie. What feelings did it evoke? What do you think it represents?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
suggesting a diversity update.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.