Film on Audrey’s gender struggles coming soon

By GEORGE ORIDO

The life of Audrey Mbugua (left) as she struggles with gender identity disorder is set to become a film.

Her story won in Scenarios from Africa film screen writing festival, thus earning the coveted prize of being turned into a film.

Organised annually by Global Dialogues, Mbugua’s story was titled Daring to be different in a nation inhabited by homophobia and was co-written by Alexandar Ogeta.

The story beat over 500 entries from Kenya and is among the top 20 that will compete for continental glory.

The story was picked by 17 members of the jury, who considered it unique and untold.

“The jury found the story outstanding for the fact that it has not been told in the previous Scenarios narrations,” said Oby Obyerodhyambo, the founder and regional director of Scenarios Project East Africa.

In the story, the persona is fictitiously named Hassan Juma from Gatanga.

“I am only 21 years.  I am the last born in the family of five. I grew up being loved by all with the exception of an absentee father, who I wished had just stayed,” goes the story’s introduction.

medical fraternity

He later goes on to narrate his tribulations seeking a gender identity and going to the extent of trying a sex change that meets resistance from the medical fraternity.

According to Hivos programme officer Lucy Mungala, the Scenarios from Africa short film writing competition has offered a platform for many young people to open up and talk about their sexuality, HIV/Aids, and aspirations.

Other winners include Paul Chika’s Life and Justice and Jane Wanja’s Jane and I that scooped positions two and three respectively.

Others were the Irony in my status by Joseph Omwamba, The twist and turn by Elly Omondi and Broken but not destroyed by Bina Maseno respectively. Winners will also receive cash awards in a ceremony to be held in Nairobi.

The project is being run under the theme “Global dialogues: Connecting voices of youth” and operates in Indonesia, Kenya and Guatemala.

“Connecting voices of youth is an innovative project that is using film as a creative and effective way of linking young people across the globe,’ explains the coordinator Ruth Kimani.