Call Me Kuchu, a film by Katherine Fairfax Wright and Malika Zouhali-Worrall, is an inspiring documentary on the efforts of the LGBT community in Uganda. The community has an uphill battle, as the population is mostly prejudice against them, fueled by tabloids and politicians who consider homosexuality immoral, evil and condemned by God.
The film centers on the efforts of activist David Kato, the first openly gay man in the African country. At the beginning, he is fighting against the Rolling Stone newspaper (not related to the American magazine), which has repeatedly called for gays and lesbians to be hanged. For him, the last straw comes when the paper attributes a bombing to homosexuals. But then the battle gets bigger as the infamous Anti-Homosexuality Bill is introduced in Parliament. This bill not only outlaws homosexuality, but forces people to turn in those they know are homosexuals.
Kato, whose murder sparks the final third of the film, isn't the only person we see at work. The filmmakers have provided a unique overview of the entire movement, highlighting other members of the movement. Naomi meets with other homosexuals just to give them someone to talk to who understands them and others help Kato prepare for a meeting with the UN human rights committee.
Call Me Kuchu was released on DVD by Cinedigm in September. The disc includes a trailer and extra footage. It's worth noting that the DVD has forced English subtitles, but you'll need them because the dialogue is often hard to understand.
Considering its subject, Call Me Kuchu isn't pretty. Its focus never strays from the cause. When Kato is shockingly murdered, the film turns highly emotional, but inspiring as Kato's friends and the LGBT community continue to fight. This film is worth seeing at least once and Cinedigm's DVD is a good presentation of it.