Tug of War | |
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Promotional release poster | |
Vuta N'Kuvute | |
Directed by | Amil Shivji |
Screenplay by | |
Based on | Vuta N'Kuvute by Shafi Adam Shafi |
Produced by | |
Starring |
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Cinematography | Zenn van Zyl |
Edited by |
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Music by |
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Production companies |
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Release date |
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Running time | 1hr 32m |
Country | Tanzania |
Language | Swahili |
Tug of War (original title: Vuta N'Kuvute) is a 2021 Tanzanian coming-of-age political drama about love and resistance set in the final years of British colonial Zanzibar. The film was directed by Amil Shivji based on the award-winning novel of the same name by Adam Shafi. Tug of War is Tanzania's second entry ever, and its first in 21 years, for the Academy Award Best International Feature category. In November 2022, it was awarded the Tanit d'Or, the top prize at Tunisia's Carthage Film Festival.
Plot
Taking place in 1950s Zanzibar, Tug of War is set during the movement to win independence for Zanzibar, then a British Protectorate. Denge, a young freedom fighter trained in the Soviet Union, distributes “Free Zanzibar” pamphlets and recruits people to the cause. One of his recruits is Yasmin, a run-away bride from a privileged, upper class Indian-Zanzibari family. She falls in love with Denge and becomes committed to the independence movement.
Awards
- Best Feature Film Zanzibar International Film Festival 2022 (Tanzania)
- Best East African Feature Film Zanzibar International Film Festival 2022 (Tanzania)
- Best Actor Zanzibar International Film Festival 2022 (Tanzania)
- Special Jury Prize Seattle International Film Festival 2022 (USA)
- Best Long Fiction Mashariki African Film Festival 2021 (Rwanda)
- Oumarou Ganda Prize for Best Fiction FESPACO 2021 (Burkina Faso)
- Doha Film Institute Post Production Fund Spring 2020 (Qatar)
- Visions Sud Est Post Production Fund 2020 (Switzerland)
- World Cinema Production Fund 2019 (Germany)
Festivals
- Toronto International Film Festival (2021) where it was the first Tanzanian film to be screened at TIFF
- African Film Festival (2022)
- Black Star Film Festival (2022)
- Afrika Film Festival Cologne (2022)
- Afrykamera (2022)
- Qisah International Film Festival (2022)
- Carthage Film Festival (2022)
- International Film Festival of Kerala (2022)
References
- Vourlias, Christopher (2021-09-12). "Tanzania's Amil Shivji on Love and Resistance in Toronto Film Festival Period Drama 'Tug of War'". Variety. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
- "Tanzania: Director Amil Shivji puts Tanzanian cinema on the global map with 'Tug of War'". The Africa Report.com. 2022-01-07. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
- Ahmed, Abdulateef (2022-09-23). "Tug of War: Tanzania Makes First Oscar Entry in 21 Years". News Central TV | Latest Breaking News Across Africa, Daily News in Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana, Kenya and Egypt Today. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
- "Tanzania makes Oscar Awards entry in 21 years with Tug Of War film". The Citizen. 2022-09-21. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
- "Tanzanian 'Tug of War' wins top prize at Carthage Film Festival". France 24. 2022-11-06. Retrieved 2022-11-10.
- ^ "TIFF 2021: 'Tug of War' Film Review". blackfilm.com. 2021-09-18. Archived from the original on 2022-10-13. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
- ^ "Tanzanian Filmmaker Amil Shiviji is Making History with a Story of Love and Resistance". OkayAfrica. 2021-09-27. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
- "Tug of War". www.siff.net. Retrieved 2022-11-10.
External links
- Tug of War at IMDb