The anti-colonial era of 1950s Tanzania is resurrected through a hypnotically stylized ambiance reminiscent of In the Mood for Love in Amil Shivji’s gorgeous drama of revolution, romance, and intrigue, the first-ever period drama from the emerging Tanzanian film industry. In the atmospheric alleyways and taarab nightclubs of Stone Town, Zanzibar, a revolution against the British-controlled sultanate is underway, as is a possible romance between a committed Mswahili Marxist and a runaway Indian Zanzibari bride. One of the most atmospheric African films in years, yet grounded in revolutionary history, Tug of War is flavored with a Wong Kar Wai-esque melancholy for not only a love lost, but also a hope.