Mama Tumaini

Mama Tumaini – Tumaini betyr håp (Mother Hope)^[1] is a Norwegian–Tanzanian drama film and family film from 1986. It was directed by Martin Mhando and Sigve Endresen. The story takes place in Tanzania and Norway. The film is based on an African script, and it mostly features African actors and an African crew.^[2]

Mama Tumaini
Directed by	Martin Mhando Sigve Endresen
Written by	Tololwa Marti Mollel
Starring	Mary Chibwana Per Christian Ellefsen Sigrid Huun Penina Mlama
Cinematography	Selemani Kissoky
Music by	John Mgandu Dionisius Mbilinyi Øistein Boassen Arne Moslåtten
Distributed by	Tanzania Filmcomp Motlys NRK
Release date	August 18, 1986 (1986-08-18)
Running time	61 minutes
Countries	Norway, Tanzania
Languages	Swahili, Norwegian

The film was produced with support from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation.^[3] The film was not released in commercial theaters in Norway, but screened at the Norwegian International Film Festival, held in Kristiansand in 1986.^[4]

Plot

Two women, one black and one white, meet in Dar es Salaam in East Africa in 1986. Both are there because of their men. The white woman is a professional's wife, and the black woman is leaving her village because her husband is taking a job in the big city. Across the racial divide and major social and economic barriers, a friendship develops between the two women. The plot is based on a real event that happened in the 1970s.^[5]

Cast

• Mary Chibwana
• Per Christian Ellefsen as Jan
• Sigrid Huun as Lisbeth
• Penina Mlama as Mama Tumaini