Film makers explore albinism myths in docu
Short African stories this week screened a documentary that interrogates the harmful attitudes of Africans towards people with albinism titled White yet Black. The documentary was filmed in Malawi, Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Speaking at the screening at Crossroads Hotel in Blantyre, the documentary director Steven Chikosi said the film is aimed at educating and clearing the myths and misconceptions around albinism.
He said: “The film has tackled a topical issue in the whole of Southern Africa, but it mainly focuses on Malawi, Zimbabwe and South Africa. It touches on some harmful narratives on how people with albinism are treated and so we are trying to show we can change those narratives and educate people that besides the skin colour, we are all the same.”
The screening was graced by different dignitaries, including film maker Charles Shemu Joyah and Justice Zione Ntaba.
On her part, Ntaba emphasised the need for the film to be screened across the country to help everyone understand that people living with albinism are no different from anyone.
She said: “The film is identifying that a person with albinism is a person first and foremost and that particular element cannot be underplayed, but it can be over emphasized. It’s important that each and every individual sees this from the young ones in primary schools to the elderly in the village. We need to teach our children and let them grow with it so that they all understand that a person is person regardless of their skin colour.”
On his part, Shemu Joyah applauded the film for its creativity in delivering a message full of hope and using different artistic choices to create a big impact.
“I was impressed with a film. From the point of the film maker, they are trying to send a message that can be sad and disappointing, but at the same time, they are spreading hope to persons with albinism. The director of the film also made important artistic choices to make sure that the film makes a huge impact. You can see that at the end of the film there is a brilliant poem that closes the film in a beautiful way,” he said.
The documentary was made possible through grants by Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (Osisa). It had participants in Malawi like member of Parliament for Nkhotakota North East Overstone Kondowe, Malawi Human Rights Council commissioner Boniface Ophiya Massah and singer Charles Mairos.
