| Tug of War | |
|---|---|
_Poster.jpg.webp) Promotional release poster | |
| Vuta N'Kuvute | |
| Directed by | Amil Shivji |
| Screenplay by | Amil Shivji |
| Based on | Vuta N'Kuvute by Shafi Adam Shafi |
| Produced by | Steven Markovitz |
| Starring | Gudrun Columbus Mwanyika Siti Amina Ikhlas Gafur Vora |
| Cinematography | Zenn van Zyl |
| Edited by | Nadia Ben Rachid Matthew Swanepoel |
| Music by | Amin Bouhafa Amélie Legrand |
Production company | Big World Cinema Kijiweni Productions NiKo Film |
Release date | 12 September 2021 (TIFF) |
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. [1][2] Tug of War is Tanzania's second entry ever, and its first in 21 years, for the Academy Award Best International Feature category.[3][4] In November 2022, it was awarded the Tanit d'Or, the top prize at Tunisia's Carthage Film Festival.[5]
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. [6]
_Still_1.jpg.webp)
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)
_Still_2.jpg.webp)
A still from Tug of War (Vuta N'Kuvute) - 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)[6] where it was the first Tanzanian film to be screened at TIFF[7]
- African Film Festival (2022)[7]
- 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.
- 1 2 "TIFF 2021: 'Tug of War' Film Review". blackfilm.com. 2021-09-18. Archived from the original on 2022-10-13. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
- 1 2 "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