Private Project

I Am The Rose

“I Am The Rose” A day filled with drama for a drag queen Cebi. In just a day she finds herself locked out of her rented room, trying to find help to pay the angry landlord, Cebi then got a lift from Themba which resulted on her being mistakenly accepted as a bride to be by Themba’s Mother. Cebi spent a whole day trying to pose as a daughter in law. See more Drama as Cebi tries not to reveal her actual sexual orientation to this excited Mom in Law. Starring Labelz D'Glamour, Leuta Shoalane, Tshidi Mashile and Zsa-Zsa Whitney Gabor Huston, I am the Rose shows how drag queens in the busy city of Johannesburg survive being assumed to be women.

  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    50 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    October 9, 2015
  • Production Budget:
    5,724 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    South Africa
  • Country of Filming:
    South Africa
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Durban Gay And Lesbian Film Festival
    Durban
    June 19, 2015
    World Best Premiere Feature Film At Durban Gay And Lesbian Film Festival
  • Zimbabwe International Film Festival
    Zimbabwe
    October 4, 2015
    Best Short Film
  • Lesotho Film Festival
    Maseru
    November 18, 2015
Director Biography

Mlungisi Msomi born and raised in the deep heart of the Zulu Kingdom Nongoma RSA and with his husband Sekara Mafisa born and raised in the Maluti Highlands Kingdom
of Lesotho. With their strong rich background of African tradition, cultural social issues. Their aim is to use visuals or digital stories to share the intriguing indigenous knowledge on Gender Identity and Sexuality in African context, and lastly sensitizing community at large with such issues and challenges. Both Mlungisi and Sekara are Traditional Health Practitioners so with the experience and skills they have, they present and unpack African Queer stories of the past and the current so as to document and leave the legacy of the LGBTI people who lived in Africa…Since many people are ignorant and say homosexuality is unAfrican.
Mlungisi Msomi is a Business Accountant in Johannesburg and Sekara Mafisa is a Social Worker and they stay together in the West of Johannesburg, they have been both deeply involved in the LGBTI Development projects in South Africa.

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Director Statement

“The continuity of documenting and telling queer African stories remain close to our hearts and we hope one day LGBTI people will be taken as normal and participate fully without any fear and discrimination in the society.