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]
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]
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