Call Me Kuchu (Centrepiece Documentary)
David Kato, Uganda’s first openly gay man, is one of the few who dare to publicly protest the state-sanctioned homophobia in his country. Here, homosexuality is not only considered sinful, it is illegal. Gay people—known as kuchus—are at risk of being beaten, harassed, and even stoned to death. A new “anti-homosexuality bill” introduced in Parliament would take the law even further, imposing a death sentence for HIV-positive gay men and a three-year prison sentence for anyone who fails to turn in a known homosexual—even one’s own child. Meanwhile, the government, the media, church leaders, and American evangelicals fuel the fire of intolerance and hatred throughout the greater population. Working with a clan of fellow activists, David fights Uganda’s government and tabloids in the courts, on television, and at the United Nations, because, he insists, “if we keep on hiding, they will say we’re not here.” This is a remarkable portrait of one man’s courage, conviction, and tragic end.
Best Documentary Teddy Award – 2012 Berlin Film Festival; Best International Feature – 2012 Hot Docs