• Release year: 2022
• Director: Savannah Acquah.
• Producers: Tiyrese-Jerome N. Engena, Zakariya Saeed, Kate Butler and Savannah Acquah.
• Screenplay by: Savannah Acquah.
• Cinematography by: Savannah Acquah.
• Music by: Wanlov The Kubolor, Sister Deborah ft. Ohemaa Dadao, Baaba J and Alostmen.

Shotgun Commentary: a celebration of freedom.

Review

Dzifa is an upbeat celebration of the Black queer diaspora. Unlike many works that follow this theme, the short focuses on the positive aspects and the relationship of queerness, roots, arts and cultural heritage.

Daily joys

The film is very similar to The Rest of Them (2024) in the terms of the relationship between the protagonists and the way it’s portrayed. While both short films represent beautifully the intimacy of a couple who loves and trusts each other, Dzifa also offers an extra perspective of their relationship by adding their interactions with other people, and some more depth to the characters by connecting them to their culture and showing their interests and talents. The story is average enough to be relatable, but also special enough to be worth telling and, most importantly, worth watching.

As mentioned above, the story is quite positive. It focuses on acceptance and love over prejudice and hate. It is quite common to see big dramas when it comes to queer cinema, both in short and feature formats, it is not so common to see lifting, heart-warming content. This piece is luckily one of the few that can be counted in the second category.

Reality first

However, the fact that it is a film that celebrates inclusion, queerness and the Black diaspora is not a synonym for being completely oblivious to reality. It does feature a somewhat sour moment when one of the individuals that form the friend group makes quite the unfortunate comment as a result of his ignorance.

This is sadly a situation that all queer people have faced at one point or another in their life, more so if they happen to be gender-neutral, since it is arguably the latest development of the community, not in terms of existence, but in terms of labelling. It is hard for many people to understand concepts such as “gender-neutral” or “gender nonconformity”, as such, they often put their foot in their mouths, often without the aim to offend, but doing so anyway. The short mentions this situation without dramatising it or making it the focus, successfully maintaining the optimistic vibe without sacrificing reality.

All around you

The atmosphere would be completely different had the mise en scène not followed the mood of the text. Luckily, all the visual aspects match the script to a T. The costumes are fantastic. They showcase both the herd mentality and simplicity of part of the youth, versus the daring and experimental aesthetics of many young people who find joy in expressing themselves through their outfits. These two currents are really common among people in their teenage years and their 20s, and the film nails both of them seamlessly. Of course, the bold light configurations where it matters also play a key role in changing the style and feelings with which you approach each moment of the couple’s life.

It is also relevant to mention the audio in this case. A composition of songs made by different artists accompany the story, both in and out of the narrative. These enhance the cheerful quality of the short while also connecting the characters further with their culture and intensifying the sense of community that emanates from the different groups of friends.

All in all, Dzifer is a very necessary piece in a world that tends to showcase queerness as a death sentence full of depression, abuse and rejection. While being different in any way is still challenging in any and all communities, it is important to remember that one can always find a group of people who accept and love you just the way you are, and that being different doesn’t necessarily mean being alone.

Advice to take from this movie:

• It is okay to call out douchebags, even if they are part of your friend group.
• Love is accepting a person fully, even if you have a hard time understanding them completely.
• It is important to stay in touch with one’s heritage.

What’s your take? Have you watched Dzifa? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message in my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀