Malian author and filmmaker Fasséry Kamissoko has produced Seventeen, a short film about LGBT discrimination to help improve the rights and living condition of women, children and minorities.
Seventeen is a poignant drama inspired by violent acts and homophobic humiliations. It illustrates the trivialization of homophobia (recurrent homophobic remarks, impunity of homophobic acts, disempowerment of victims) and addresses the phenomenon of harassment of homosexuals in West Africa.
The film aims to denounce the policy of repression in Africa against young people because of their identities and sexual differences. It calls on politicians and religious leaders to speak against intolerance and violent discrimination against the LGBTQ community.
Kamissoko said the film was short and shot quickly to avoid putting the actors and the crew in danger if it was a longer film.
“With this film, my aim is to contribute to a collective awareness of men and women witnessing discrimination against queer people in Africa,” he adds.
Below is the film Seventeen.
