, have challenged gender and sexuality norms in their designs, echoing the spirit of global queer activism and resistance.
The undertone of the films is a warning to parents that this is what your child will become if they “choose” to be homosexual. The view that gay men seek out straight men to force their way on them has led to many straight people avoiding people they suspect or know to be queer and, in extreme cases, pre-emptively attacking them.
What then is the future of queer cinema in a country like Nigeria? Over the years, Nollywood has witnessed growth, especially of more progressive films. Misogynistic storylines for the bigger-budget films have become less common and obvious. This makes one wonder: Have queer stories experienced this growth as well? Will they? Can we expect more movies with queer characters being more than stereotypes? The answer is not nearly as straightforward as one might hope.
But Okwo also points out that the current state of the industry is a result of veterans in Nollywood care more about portraying society as they think it is, rather than how it should or could be. Asurf Oluseyi, who has worked on several of these films, says: “No one can represent you and tell your story better than you can. Chances are, you will help others and yourself in the process. And I think [queer people are] aware of this, and lately they have been creating some content [for] short films and some feature-length films.”