9 October 2025

Young, Gifted & Queer (2025)

“As Black and queer people, we have this gift of just being cool, of knowing what’s hot, of knowing what’s gonna pop, and we’ve always done this,” says kwaai diva Umlilo in the trailer for Young, Gifted & Queer.

Umlilo is one of three trailblazers featured in the documentary, alongside Andiswa Dlamini, founder of Other Village People, and rapper S’bo Gyre. Also look out for queer icons like Dr Bev Ditsie, LeloWhatsGood, Keval Harie, Sibs Matiyela and Lulu Obida.

Described as “a powerful and unapologetic documentary celebrating Black queer voices at the forefront of Mzansi’s cultural revolution” by Joburg Film Festival, Young, Gifted & Queer is the second documentary from Renaldo Schwarp, who was also behind the award-winning Skeef.

Young, Gifted & Queer was up for the 2025 Inclusive Lens Award for Representation of LGBTQIA+: Non-Scripted Films. “Young, Gifted & Queer is recognised for its authentic and unapologetic portrayal of Black queer artists in South Africa,” said that citation. “By centring real voices over performative allyship, the film highlights resilience, creativity, and cultural impact – offering a bold, honest narrative that advances meaningful representation and visibility for the LGBTQ+ community in African media.”

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