Annick Jaëgy works with Mahershala Ali in impactful film ‘Gubagude Ko’
All filmmakers see themselves as more than that; they are storytellers. This aspect of filmmaking is of the highest importance, because if you don’t connect with audiences through the story you are trying to tell, your film will fail. However, some filmmakers see themselves as even more than storytellers. They use the power they are given to educate and inspire audiences, rather than simply entertain. They are activists, shedding light on important issues using one of the world’s most powerful mediums. One such filmmaker is Annick Jaëgy, whose resume is filled with empowering projects that have not only impacted her, but all those who watch her films.
This commitment to her craft is shown in through her work on films such as Mackenzie, which deals with a teenage girl struggling with anorexia, as well as her upcoming project Solidarity, a moving story grounded in themes of loss and human connection as it follows the parallel lives of a Mexican sweatshop worker and a Lithuanian butcher struggling for intimacy in the seemingly invisible world of undocumented labor. However, the pledge to change viewpoints through her art may be exemplified best by the telling film Gubagude Ko.
“I love the importance of story, which is about corrective rape. I am very familiar with the subject as I lived and worked on the African continent for ten years,” said Jaëgy.
Gubagude Ko is centered on the rape of a woman in Uganda. After she is left for dead, a shadowy figure comes and carries her away. The woman then awakes in a home where audiences learn that the shadowy figure is Ochoro, a man who had helped her in the market earlier that day. The woman has lost her memory; Ochoro informs her that her name is Dembe. He desperately tries to nurse her back to health. The rapist later shows up and the memories of the past begin to bleed into the present. We see that Ochoro was actually a bystander to the rape and did nothing to help.
“Set in Uganda, Gubagude Ko is about corrective rape, the act of raping an individual for their perceived sexual or gender orientation in an attempt to turn them heterosexual. This film is designed to reframe the question around the subject matter of responsibility. Is blood upon the witness’s hand when he or she turns a blind eye to social injustice and moral atrocity? I believe that we must confront the bystander effect, such that we make onlookers intolerable of the crimes against LGBT persons, and uncomfortable with their own inaction. Only then can we begin to create a safer environment for all, regardless of their sexuality. We have to,” said Jaëgy.
Starring Academy-Award winner Mahershala Ali (Moonlight, Hidden Figures, House of Cards) Gubagude Ko has captivated international audiences. It was an Official Selection at 24th Hamptons International Film Festival, as well as the HBO Short Film Competition — American Black Film Festival where it was nominated for Best Short Film. It is now available for streaming on Amazon’s Cinemaxx and HBO GO. None of this success could have been possible without Jaëgy as producer.
“Annick brought an invaluable wealth of knowledge from her own experiences in Uganda that created a heightened level of authenticity to the project that is reflected on screen. Her dedication and persistence paid off when she was able to locate the perfect setting for Uganda, a testament to her resourcefulness and determination to tell the most authentic story possible. Her reputation for hard work and the superior quality of her projects is what drew many crew members, including myself, to collaborate with her on this ambitious film. Annick’s creativity, passion, and commitment to her projects make her a tremendous asset to any production company,” said Flora Ortega, Production Designer.
When Writer and Director Philiane Phang decided to work with Annick, the two shared a passion for telling such a sensitive story. Immediately, they began to plan every aspect of the film. Together with Casting Director Susan Sheel, who was nominated for the Outstanding Achievement Award in Casting from the Casting Society of America, CSA and a Casting Associate for supporting roles and backgrounds, they began to find the right actors to play the characters in their film. This took some time as they wanted as much authenticity as possible. They looked into the Ugandan community of Los Angeles for all of the roles, and also found Actress Erica Tazel (Mafia III, Roots, Justified) as one of their leads. However, they had trouble filling the main role of Ochoro. Eventually, Phang gave the script to Mahershala Ali, who at the time was only known for his role in House of Cards. The Director really wanted him to play the role of Ochoro, and he was extremely moved by the script. He immediately said yes.
“Mahershala is a professional, talented actor. He is a very kind and considerate person. On set, he would always be very considerate to everyone from the crew, thanking them. He was amazed by the work of the art department and their ability of rebuilding a Ugandan environment with this house in the middle of nowhere. We didn’t know that a year later, he would receive an Oscar for his role in Moonlight,” said Jaëgy.
To once again preserve the authenticity, Jaëgy and Phang switched from English to Luanda (one of the main languages in Uganda). They filmed at the South Coast Botanic Garden, as Jaëgy found it looked like Uganda during location scouting. However, right before filming, the greens of the garden turned red as the plants were dying. At first, Jaëgy thought the production would collapse right then and there, but she is extremely resourceful as a producer, and was authorized to pull all the dead plants. The production design team then created a beautiful set.
“It was very rewarding to have preserved the authenticity of the film and having Ugandans telling me that they felt they were in Uganda while on set. Seeing the set and thinking that I was myself in Uganda again. To see a combination of all the talents, Philiane Phang for her writing/directing skills, Philip Klucsarits the Cinematographer for filming handheld, Flora Ortega for the Production Design, the actors, and the fact that the film was in Luanda. It was amazing,” said Annick.
When Phang first learned of corrective rape, she thought that she was one of a few who weren’t aware of the issue. She quickly realized that she wasn’t one of few but one of many. She began asking questions such as: Aren’t we our sister’s keeper? How can we turn a blind eye to such a moral atrocity? She believed that the first step to change is awareness. The media deficiency in corrective rape led to her desire to tell this story. She believed that cinematic storytelling can be impactful in increasing visibility and awareness of underrepresented groups and issues. She hoped that this would spark a conversation not only about this atrocious act but all violence against women. According to Annick Jaëgy, corrective rape is just one layer of the larger issue that is violence against women. One-in-three women worldwide will be physically, sexually or otherwise abused during her lifetime, with rates reaching 70 percent in some countries. In the United States, one-in-five women have been raped in their lifetime. Violence against women is a violation of human rights that cannot be justified by any political, religious, or cultural claim. A global culture of discrimination against women allows violence to occur daily and with impunity. As a friend, daughter, and sister to other women, Phang and Jaëgy took this issue very personally. Together, they helped begin to change the conversation.
“When I lived in Africa, especially in countries like South Africa, Zimbabwe and Uganda, I came across corrective rape, something that is still unknown outside the borders. Because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, they are still women and men that are raped and sometimes killed. The consequence of the rape, as seen by the perpetrator, is to turn the person heterosexual or to enforce conformity with gender stereotypes. The term ‘corrective rape’ was coined in South Africa after well-known cases of corrective rapes of lesbians such as Eudy Simelane and Zoliswa Nkonyana became public. Corrective rape is a hate crime,” said Jaëgy.
Gubagude Ko is an outstanding film that educates audiences on the harsh reality of a horrible issue in Africa. Watch the film on HBO or Cinemaxx to experience Jaëgy’s work, and to see the impact of corrective rape.
