CAN YOU SEEE US reveals more than expected

Director Kenny mumba

Cast : Thabo Kaamba, George Sikazwe, kangwa chileshe

As someone who hasn't had much exposure to Zambian cinema, I must say that this movie left a remarkable impression as a first-time viewer.

Can you see us is a Zambian coming-of-age drama that delves into the themes of rejection, abandonment, and dehumanizing discrimination faced by individuals with albinism.

THE PLOT

The narrative's primary objective is to overcome the ignorance and hostility surrounding albinism within the African community, while also emphasizing the importance of family values.

Can you see us revolves around Joseph, a young man who yearns to be acknowledged and accepted within his local African community, as well as by his own father. It effectively highlights the perils of ignorance surrounding Joseph's unique skin condition as many individuals within his society associate albinism with a lot of cruel perception. This exposes Joseph to man dangers as well as hostility from his peers. The movie further showcases his resilience and how he navigates these challenges to become successful.

OVERALL PERFORMANCE

The performances of the actors, particularly of young Joseph, depicted by Malcom Bbuku are captivating and emotionally gripping as he skillfully exhibited the loneliness and sadness faced by a confused child. The visual aesthetics and cinematography are impeccable, and credit must be given to the team behind the creation of this film.

DOWNSIDES

However, there are instances where the plot feels rushed, making the audience to connect the dots in order to understand the plot which is noted in the latter years of Joseph as a student in high school. Nonetheless, the commendable performances of young Joseph during his early years injected more life into the movie.

SUMMARY

There is a lot to learn from this movie as it exposes the ignorance of some people towards albinism. Today we may not perceive albinism as a strange concept but with this movie we understand what it means to be on the receiving end of the rejection and taunting. Also, many people still need to be educated about this and build our society to be more accepting towards individuals of special peculiarities.