Musician and performance artist Mykki Blanco aka Michael David Quattlebaum Jr. has released “Out of This World” a documentary exploring the LGBTI community of Johannesburg, South Africa.
Directed by Matt Lambert and produced by Blanco, the beautifully-shot film includes interviews with some of the community’s most influential creatives and activists, including FAKA art collective, designer Rich Mnisi , artist Laura Skollie, and more, who touch on inclusivity, creativity, style and prejudice.
Blanco spoke with i-D about the kinship he felt with his subjects despite cultural differences. “I feel like there’s just an energy there when you really understand someone’s oppression or when you maybe have gone through a similar situation in your own life,” explained Blanco. “I don’t care about the custom, the color, the creed, the religion; there are blanket similarities in being a queer person all over the fucking globe. I too know about being called a faggot and in Zulu it’s stabana.”
While homosexualty is outlawed in 34 countries on the African Continent, South Africa is viewed as more liberal with its legalization of gay marriage. Nonetheless incidents of harassment and rape are reported at an alarming rate in more isolated communities.
“Out of this World” premiered in London on October 2, 2017 with a q&a exchange with Mykki Blanco and the filmmakers.
Check it out below.
