Simon and I is an intimate portrait of black South African gay rights activist Simon Nkoli, who died of AIDS in 1998, and his fellow activist and protégé, Bev Ditsie, who also co-directs the film.

Chronicling two decades of activism, their story charts the history of the gay and lesbian liberation movement in South Africa and presents a personal account of the devastating AIDS epidemic in Africa. The story unfolds using a mixed format of interviews, archival images and newspaper clips. Ditsie speaks about the difficult issue of sexism within the gay rights movement.

Simon and I is a tribute to an enduring friendship and bond between two remarkable leaders and pays homage to Nkoli, whose hard work and unyielding determination moved South Africa to become the only country in the world to include sexual orientation in its constitutional Bill of Rights.

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Beverley Palesa Ditsie and Nicky Newman
Simon and I (2002)
52 min