Tug of War

Denge, a rebellious young man from Zanzibar, meets Yasmin one night—a young Indian-Zanzibari woman who has recently been forced into marriage with a much older man. This encounter sets off a series of missed opportunities for the star-crossed lovers. Denge is deeply involved in the struggle for independence against British rule, translating and distributing Soviet propaganda. Yasmin is drawn to the young man’s ideals. He feels free in her presence. When Denge ends up behind bars due to his youthful recklessness, it is up to Yasmin to become part of the greater struggle... Director Amil Shivji weaves this tender, often unfulfilled love with the revolution and resistance in Zanzibar, which was still occupied by British colonial powers at the time. The scenes in the film adaptation of Adam Shafi’s Swahili novel of the same name testify to a great creative vision, so carefully and tenderly were they crafted. Thanks to this calm, poetic visual language, an atmospheric, politically charged love drama unfolds, one that has been showered with numerous awards.