In a small corner of the most populous country in Africa, billions of dollars of crude oil flow under the feet of a desperate people. Immense wealth and abject poverty stand in stark contrast. The environment is decimated. The issues are complex, the answers elusive, but in this moment there’s an opportunity to find solutions. What if the world paid attention before it was too late?
Sweet Crude is the highly acclaimed film about the human and environmental consequences of 50 years of oil extraction in the Niger Delta, the history of non-violent protest, and the members of a new insurgency, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) who are demanding an end to the environmental degradation (equivalent to 50 Exxon Valdez spills) and a share of the $700 billion oil profits. The Nigerian government policy of execution and intimidation extended even to Cioffi and her crew, who were arrested and detained, their film footage seized. This superbly crafted film confronts issues of human rights, resource control, environmental justice and mainstream media agendas.
Awards include:
Special Jury Award -DMZ Docs Korean Documentary Film Festival
Best Documentar - Strasbourg International Film Festival
Here’s how the filmmaking team describes the motivation behind the film:
“Why do we care enough to make this movie? Because raising awareness just might be the tipping point it takes to head off civil war. Because the kids of the Delta deserve a future. Because what happens in Nigeria ripples through African political stability and global economic markets. Because Nigeria produces more than 10 percent of the U.S. oil supply. Ultimately, the events unfolding in the Niger Delta affect us all.
It will take a vigilant world community to advocate for nonviolent political solutions. With this independent documentary, we take a stand for a more truthful conversation, with the hope that a more educated public will hold governments and big oil accountable to peaceful and just resolution.”
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