Tug Of War
Spring Grants 2020 - Post-Production Stage
Amil Shivji / Feature Narrative / Tanzania, South Africa, Germany, Qatar / 90 min / Original Language: English, Swahili / Interests: Drama
Synopsis
Denge, a frustrated and rebellious young man meets Yasmin, a young Indian-Zanzibari girl in the middle of the night as she is on her way to be betrothed to a man three times her age. This sparks a series of missed opportunities for the forlorn lovers. Yasmin escapes her oppressive marriage and returns to Zanzibar, where she faces rejection from her own family. She seeks refuge at Mwajuma’s house in the Swahili quarters of the segregated island, submerging herself in an oppressed yet effervescent culture that she had always been secluded from. Here Yasmin meets Denge who is deeply immersed in the independence struggle against British rule, busy translating and distributing Soviet propaganda. She is pulled towards his ideals of independence as he feels free around her. When Denge’s recklessness lands him behind bars, it’s up to Yasmin to be part of the larger struggle and free the one she loves.
Credits
- Director
- Amil Shivji
- Screenwriter
- Amil Shivji, Jenna Bass
- Producer
- Steven Markovitz, Amil Shivji
About the Director
Amil Shivji is based in Tanzania as a filmmaker and lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam. He believes in using images to challenge the powers that be, in particular, deconstructing urban facades of development and emphasizing the strength and struggles of marginalized communities. Amil has written, directed and produced short fiction films that have participated in Rotterdam and FESPACO as well as winning the People’s Choice Award in Zanzibar and Best Director and Best Short film in Africa. His feature directorial debut 'T-Junction' (2017) opened Zanzibar International Film Festival and won three awards. He has a master’s in Fine Arts from York University in Toronto, Canada.
Contacts
-
Main Contact
Steven Markovitz
- Company:
- Big World Cinema
- Phone:
- +27 83 2611 044
- Email:
- steven@bigworld.co.za