Marlvin Gwese, Tinashe Nyamudoka, Pardon Taguzu, and Joseph Dhafana are probably the most unlikely people in the world to be sommeliers. Ten years ago, these Zimbabwean men were living in poverty because inflation was so bad in their country.
Under Robert Mugabe’s rule, they had no chance of getting a job and couldn’t feed their young families, so they each made a scary choice: they left their home and everything they’d ever known, using their last few pennies to sneak across the border into South Africa. But South Africa was just another place where war was going on. Tinashe, Pardon, Joseph, and Marlvin weren’t the only ones who left Zimbabwe. Millions of Zimbabweans who were looking for work came to Johannesburg. The people who lived there didn’t like this influx of illegal immigrants, and soon there were riots against foreigners in Zimbabwe.
With nothing but the clothes on their backs and a bad reputation in their new town, the main characters slept on a church floor while looking for work. They did anything they could find, like digging graves, raising worms, or manual labor. But through hard work, faith, and a strong work ethic, the four men soon got better jobs in the hospitality industry, first washing dishes and then waiting tables.
But to move past clearing plates, they had to learn the basics of wine, which was hard in many ways. At the time, there was no wine industry in Zimbabwe, so the four men had never heard of wine or tried it.
Also, Pentecostal Christians had sworn they would never drink alcohol, so their journey to success brought a crisis of faith.
Gods Calling
After talking with their families and church members for a long time, the four heroes concluded that wine must be “God’s calling” for them.
After a few years, the four became the most famous sommeliers in Africa. They now work in some of the best restaurants in the world.
With Team Zimbabwe, Joseph, Tinashe, Pardon, and Marlvin crossed the border again to take on one of the biggest challenges in the wine industry: the World Wine Blind Tasting Championships, which took place in Burgundy, France, in October 2017. This event is often called the “Olympics of wine tasting.”
On top of that, wine lovers and experts from all over the world were following their journey. When wine expert Jancis Robinson heard about them, she started a crowdfunding campaign to help them get to France. When the four young men went to Europe to compete against teams from 26 other countries, including the US, Britain, France, Spain, and Italy, everyone was watching.
Captivating Cinematography
BLIND AMBITION tells the amazing story of how the people of Zimbabwe got from the Zambezi River’s flood plains to Johannesburg’s townships. It shows the vibrant music and culture of Zimbabwe. From the dramatic landscapes of the Cape to the rolling vineyards and old castles of Burgundy.
Team Zimbabwe
Team Zimbabwe wanted the prized title of “World Wine Tasting Champions” because they were always positive, loved what they did, and were very proud of their country. When this team of outsiders went to France to compete, they turned a system of privilege and tradition on its head. This really inspiring documentary shows how the human spirit can’t be stopped.
