Dakan

This most unusual film takes us on a journey to a world few of us have seen. With its lush photography, stunning West African music and stirringly romantic story Dakan will be an important addition to your collection.

The first gay themed film from sub-Saharan Africa hails from Guinea. The story revolves around the tender but forbidden love two young men have for each other, but are kept apart by family and traditions. Manga is a handsome student desperately in love with Sori, another young man. After a night of passionate kissing, Manga tries to understand his feelings and boldly asks his traditionalist mother if it is OK for him to love another boy. Manga's mother says, "Since time began, it's never happened. Boys don't do that. That's all there is to it." Sori also finds it tough at home with an overbearing father who has his whole life with wife and kids mapped out for him. At school there is gentle amusement at first, but this soon develops into panic as horrified parents ask the boys to be separated. Manga is forced to visit a witch doctor and Sori is compelled to marry. But the boys destiny cannot be denied, they are meant to be together. An important and compelling drama. One technical note - the subtitles are white and are hard to read at times. (French with English subtitles)

Raymond Murray