All About Lupita Nyong'o's Docu-Film

CK and Delphine, Twin Sisters


In My Genes Movie Poster


Agnes Muthakye and the family she always longed for


James and Pamela look at their first child



IN MY GENES is the eye-opening story of vision, violence and the value of human difference set in Kenya’s vibrant capital city, Nairobi and her environs. Shot in 2006, before the news of the rampant murders of albinos in Tanzania, the film is both heartrending and invigorating in tone.

Albinism, the inherited genetic condition that causes little or no pigmentation in the eyes, skin or hair, has been wrought with misunderstanding among many African communities, and Kenya is no exception. Being a person with albinism comes with constant stares, stigma, stereotypes, and discrimination. Some common misconceptions are that children with albinism are products of affairs with white men, that the condition is contagious, affects the brain development of the individual and, most traditionally, that they are a curse or a bad omen. While IN MY GENES addresses these misconceptions, this is not another “Oh-Poor-Africa” documentary. The stories are an affirmation of what individuals under great persecution can make of themselves and what they can then inspire and challenge in us. It is a film of such effortless intimacy, subtle glimpses and honest examination.

We experience what it is like to be “white” in a “black” society through the uplifting story of Agnes Muthakye, a woman, who at first glance may not seem like someone with much to laugh about. For one thing, she has albinism-- a lack of pigment in the skin and eyes-- and her appearance has provoked prejudice from family, friends and strangers since she was born. Agnes is also blind and as a woman of few means, she heads a household of 7 children, her 17-year-old daughter expecting another, by weaving traditional kyondoo baskets and knitting sweaters for sale. But despite all odds, Agnes refuses to lead a life of sorrow. She invites us into her life as she constructs a kyondoo over the course of a week. During this time, Agnes discovers the real reason why she is the way she is, and why she lost her eyesight. Yet Agnes keeps going, trusting in the work of her hands and the strength of her God. The threads of the woolen basket she weaves become a poignant metaphor of the need to reconstruct our human ties and the importance of solidarity.

Interviews with seven other individuals inter-cut Agnes’ narrative to share their unique experiences of living with albinism. CK, an energetic, eloquent and witty person with albinism grew up alongside a dark-skinned twin sister (a reported very rare occurrence for only one twin to be a person with albinism). She shares the surprising perks of being a person with albinism, including receiving preferential treatment from her parents, and yet, also the destruction of her dreams from traumatizing childhood experiences. James is expecting a baby with his dark-skinned wife, Pamela, any day soon. He tells us of what courting a dark-skinned girl was like and they share their hopes and fears should they have a child with albinism. Mwaura, a politician, Alex and Grace, educators, Benedict, a leather artisan, and Wycliffe, a medical student, all help bring alive a compelling and complex experience that charmingly tackles questions about the effects of their condition on aspects of their childhood, adolescence, sexuality, race, and dreams.

In Kenya, statistics of the occurring frequency of albinism are not available, as little national attention has been paid specifically to this condition. However in some parts of Africa, where studies have been done, albinism is estimated to affect as many as one in every 1,000 people. This is indication that people with albinism do make up a considerable number of our population. The film is filled with facts about the condition and acts as a powerful introduction to understanding the condition.

This film is inspiring, informative, and disturbing. The images are unforgettable, and the stories resonate reminding us of what it means to be human, what it means to love. IN MY GENES celebrates the resilience and vibrancy of people who sorely stand out from the crowd and manage to teach the world a thing or two about transforming perceived weakness into strength in the process.