➤ UNDERGROUND, from p.70
as one where Emmanuel tearfully
describes how his family shunned
him — he wasn’t allowed to even
share the family’s silverware — after
his mother learned that he was
HIV-positive.
The fi lm has several moving episodes,
as many interviewees talk
about not being accepted by their
families or having to live on the
streets for a spell. There are a handful
of scenes set in and around the
House of Allure, run by Mr. Michael,
who provides a safe space for
gay and queer men to live after they
are thrown out of their homes.
Fortunately, “The Legend of the
Underground” is not all downbeat.
The fi lm features several joyful
clips of the men performing. There
is dancing and catwalking, and a
fun sequence features a “Mr. Ideal
Nigeria” pageant. These scenes
show how the community creates
niches to exist. One subject in the
fi lm, Danrele, who describes himself
as a “sexual outlaw,” talks
about his fabulous style and the
shoes and clothes he admires and
enjoys. He also asks for the respect
he deserves. This leads to a vignette
that indicates how, if you want to
be queer in Nigeria, you cannot be
poor — and you need to know the
law and your rights to privacy.
“The Legend of the Underground”
also briefl y touches on the critical issue
of seeking asylum, which can be
a risky option for many of these men.
As Edafe Okporo, who lives in New
York and coordinates visas, explains,
arriving in the US may still result in
spending months on end in a detention
center, and there is no guarantee
that asylum will be granted. Deji,
who is interviewed in the fi lm, describes
living in such limbo.
Onuorah and Bailey hopscotch
around the various topics and interviewees,
which emphasizes both
the sense of community and disruption
these gay and queer men must
all feel. It’s an effective approach.
“Legend of the Underground” may
be full of poignant, heartbreaking
stories, but this fi lm is as life-affi
rming as it is eye-opening.
THE LEGEND OF THE UNDERGROUND
| Directed by Nneka Onuorah
and Giselle Bailey | Premiering
June 29 on HBO; distributed by
HBO Documentary Films
DDCOURTESY OF HBO
Denele in “The Legend of the Underground”
June 24 - June 30, 2 72 021 | GayCityNews.com
/GayCityNews.com
