Amil Shivji is based in Tanzania, his homeland, as a freelance filmmaker and former 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. He has set up an independent production house called Kijiweni Productions which has produced films participating in prestigious festivals in Rotterdam, Toronto, Santa Barbara, Palm Springs and FESPACO. He recently premiered his latest feature, Vuta N’Kuvute (Tug of War)– a story of love and resistance set in British colonial Zanzibar, 1950s at TIFF’21 and won the Oumarou Ganda Prize at FESPACO’21 and Special Jury Prize in Seattle.