'The Pearl Of Africa,' A Documentary About Love, Hate & Being Transgender In Uganda, Debuts Powerful Trailer
Watch the trailer for 'The Pearl of Africa,' a forthcoming documentary about love, hate and being transgender in Uganda.
Cleo and Nelson in Thailand. Photo: Jonny von Wallström. Courtesy of The Pearl of Africa.
<p><em>The Pearl of Africa</em> tells the <a href="http://www.okayafrica.com/news/radical-love-and-acceptance-in-the-pearl-of-africa/" target="_blank">radical story</a> of a 28-year-old transgender Ugandan woman, <strong>Cleopatra Kambugu</strong>, and her fiancé, <strong>Nelson</strong>. Director <strong>Jonny Von Wallström</strong> takes viewers inside their fight for love and acceptance in one of the most transphobic countries in the world.</p><p>The project began as a web series in late 2014, which <em>Okayafrica</em> <a href="http://www.okayafrica.com/tag/the-pearl-of-africa/" target="_blank">closely followed</a>. At the time, the filmmakers launched an indiegogo campaign to raise funds for Cleo’s sex reassignment surgery. The campaign was successful–in February 2015, they raised $14,000–and the couple traveled to Thailand for Cleo’s surgery. The full-length documentary continues to follow Cleo and Nelson after the surgery.</p><p><div class="preroll-video"></div><ora-player></ora-player></p><p>The film will soon make its world premiere at <strong><a href="https://www.hotdocs.ca/i" target="_blank">Hot Docs</a></strong> (April 28 - May 8) in Toronto, where it’s competing in the festival’s <strong>International Spectrum</strong>. Today, the filmmakers share the powerful first trailer for <em>The Pearl of Africa</em>. Watch below.</p><p>For more, read our <a href="http://www.okayafrica.com/news/radical-love-and-acceptance-in-the-pearl-of-africa/" target="_blank">interview</a> with Cleo and Nelson.</p><p><span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d0719c2e04b634978f70b00bbe61a103"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7RG6_vZEXwQ?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span></p>
Keep reading...
Show less
