photo credit : video installation Melting for you by Karin Hazé
The dream is unfolding, and the momentum is undeniable. This week, we took to the airwaves on CKUT, offering a deep dive into Nuit Éternelle, the Chapel of Love anthology, and the extraordinary courageous artists coming together for the Purple Mountain Artist Residency in South Africa. If you missed it, tune in to the archives for a full conversation on our vision, the writers and actors involved, and the groundbreaking work we are about to create.
But before we take flight, we need you. This is the final stretch. The reality of independent filmmaking is that every small contribution, every shared post, every word of encouragement brings us closer to our dream.
Mapping Love: From Anthology to Anthology
Our journey began with Map Your Love, our first anthology exploring queer love in all its complexity. Now, Chapel of Love takes that exploration further, diving into the intersections of queer spirituality across Africa. Each of these films exists in conversation with one another, threading narratives of resilience, transformation, and self-discovery across time and space.
Nuit Éternelle emerges from this lineage, bringing experimental cinema into the fold—a pocket of light in the darkness, a meditation on collective freedom, and the unbroken ties that connect us. Like Unoma Azuah’s powerful bilingual anthology Wedged Between Man and God: Queer West African Women’s Stories, Nuit Éternelle unfolds in both French and English, creating a bridge between worlds, between histories, and between futures yet to be imagined.
Trailblazers & Mentors: The Voices Guiding Us
We are deeply honoured to have the support and wisdom of Kevin Mwachiro and Unoma Azuah in this journey. Kevin, an esteemed journalist and editor of the anthology that became Stories of Our Lives, has been a steadfast advocate for African queer narratives. Unoma, whose groundbreaking work has given voice to queer West African women, has entrusted us with the rights to her anthology—an act of solidarity that fuels our storytelling. Their presence, alongside the many artists, activists and mentors shaping this residency, reinforces that we are part of a long and powerful lineage of resistance through art.
Packing Light, Dreaming Big
We are embracing a pocket cinema approach—low-tech, high-impact storytelling that is raw, urgent, and deeply personal. This is our first fictional film, and while the challenges of sound and lighting are real, we will be learning from South African experts who have generously offered to train us. Beyond the technical, we are also carving out space for care: storytelling around bedtime, mindful movement, and moments of stillness amidst the whirlwind of creation.
The World & Our Underground Revolution
Right now, so much of the world is unraveling, and joy feels like an act of defiance. But that’s exactly why this matters. Nuit Éternelle, Chapel of Love, and the entire Purple Mountain Artist Residency are contributions to peace, healing, and resistance in their most radical forms. By coming together in safety, by holding space for queer African artists to create without limits, we are shaping a future the world refuses to imagine.
Next week, on March 14th, we will be speaking at the United Nations , The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) bringing our voices to an international stage. This is a moment of recognition for the power of queer African storytelling, and we are honored to be part of the conversation.
We are almost there. With your help, we will cross this finish line.
With love & in solidarity,
The 75 SHOTS Family
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