Call Me Uncle

Amil Shivji / Tanzania / 2023 / European Premiere / 10 min.

synopsis

When Tanzanian queer musician Tofa Jaxx discovered a brochure on AIDS in 2004, he decided to contact trans activist Aunty Ali, who knew from a young age that she was different from others. In a frank, extremely personal conversation, she then confides about her coming out, her love for men, or her experiences with prostitution and HIV.

“Tanzanian customs and traditions do not acknowledge homosexuality, nor do they want to. They are contradictory and cold hearted because they are the ones who birthed us.” — Aunty Ali

biography

Amil Shivji (1990) is a Tanzanian filmmaker. He graduated in film production from York University in Canada and founded the production company Kijiweni Productions. His feature film Tug of War (2021) was the first Tanzanian film screened at TIFF. His work focuses on marginalized groups, neo-colonialism and the impact of cultural and political imperialism on the African continent.