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Distribution News
We are thrilled to announce that Sweet Crude is among the first films to be released by Area23a, a new-model distribution company headed by indie industry veterans Richard Abramowitz and Kirt Eftekhar. Area23a focuses on event driven films, offering alternative ways to reach audiences with theatrical exposure through openings in libraries, museums, community centers, and college campuses, in addition to traditional venues like theaters, cinematheques and festivals. And we are excited to partner with Justice In Nigeria Now (JINN) to use the film as a tool for activism to promote peace in the Niger Delta – something that has always been at the heart of our purpose in making Sweet Crude. Stay tuned for cities, dates and details!
Variety reviews Sweet Crude
"A movie about crime and shame, 'Sweet Crude' is also a classic example of urgent, righteous-indignation agitprop cinema that succeeds in being not just angry, but art." Read the full review.
Upcoming Festivals
Here's what's coming up for Sweet Crude on the festival circuit. Hope you can join us at one of these! Pan African Film & Arts Festival, Los Angeles CA USA, February 13 & 14; Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, Missoula MT USA, February 20; Everett Women's Film Festival, Everett WA USA, February 26; Artivist Film Festival, London UK, March 6; and Environmental Film Festival in the Nation's Capital, Washington DC USA, March 19. Watch for more announcements here and on our Facebook page.
Recent Screenings
Sweet Crude screened at these Fall 2009/Winter 2010 festivals: Festival Millennium, Newburyport Documentary Film Festival (Winner Best Feature), Tacoma Film Festival, Ellensburg Film Festival (Winner Best Documentary), Vancouver International Film Festival (Top 26 Audience Favorites out of 250 features), Doctober, United Nations Association Film Festival, DMZ Korean International Documentary Festival (Special Jury Prize), Tallgrass Film Festival (Winner Audience Choice Feature Film), Corona Cork Film Festival, Rocky Mountain Women's Film Festival, Northwest Film & Video Festival, Red Rock Film Festival (Grand Jury Prize Best Documentary Feature Director), Bahamas International Film Festival (Winner Best Documentary), Palm Springs International Film Festival, World Community Film Festival (check here for additional traveling festival screening dates), and ReFrame Peterborough International Film Festival. The film was also shown at Forum Stadtpark in Graz Austria, where filmmaker Sandy Cioffi was among the panelists for Real Energy World / Niger Delta.
Awards update
Sweet Crude won Best Documentary at the Bahamas International Film Festival 2009; Grand Jury Prize Best Documentary Feature Director at the Red Rock Film Festival 2009; and was a nominee for the Maverick Movie Awards in these categories: Best Picture, Best Chronicle and Best Original Score. See our full awards list here. We are proud and grateful for this recognition. Thanks to audiences and judges!
Summer screenings
Sweet Crude screened at these summer festivals: DocuWeeks theatrical showcase in LA and New York, Rhode Island International Film Festival, DocuWest Film Festival and Strasbourg International Film Festival (Winner Best Documentary).
Sweet Crude at Docuweeks 2009
We are thrilled that Sweet Crude screened at the International Documentary Association's 2009 DocuWeeks theatrical showcase. This program was created to provide week-long theatrical runs in LA and NY, which are required to qualify for Oscar nomination. Only 18 features and 10 shorts were chosen. IDA considers them "some of the best groundbreaking documentary films from around the world." Check out audience reviews here.
Recent Nigerian military attacks on Niger Delta villages
On May 15th, the Joint Task Force (JTF) of the Nigerian military began targeting civilian villages in the Niger Delta with aerial bombardment and ground attacks. Hundreds were killed and as many as 20,000 are now refugees, cut off from food, water and medical aid. On Wednesday May 20th, many buildings in the village of Oporoza, where much of Sweet Crude was filmed, were burned down. Other villages have been razed as well. Please help us focus U.S. government and international attention to stop these attacks immediately and get access for humanitarian relief efforts to the region, which has been blocked off by the JTF. Learn more and find out what you can do here. UPDATE June 15: This tragic situation continues. More villages have been attacked. Refugees are still without aid. And military tanks have been reported in the Niger Delta city of Warri.
See us on Facebook
Sweet Crude now has a Facebook page. Come on over and become a fan.
Sweet Crude urgently needs your support
Don't miss our limited edition Sabotage poster fundraiser to help defray the huge cost of our crew's detainment in Nigeria and get the film over the finish line. This is a fabulous piece of art and one of the best investments around these days. Get the details here.
On April 12, 2008, members of the Sweet Crude filmmaking crew were detained by the Nigerian military Joint Task Force (JTF) while traveling by boat in the Niger Delta.
Seattle-based Director Sandy Cioffi, Producer Tammi Sims, and photojournalists Sean Porter and Cliff Worsham, along with Nigerian-American Joel Bisina, were taken into custody and subsequently handed over to the Nigerian State Security Services.
They were held for seven days without being charged and without access to legal counsel. They were released Friday, April 18.
U.S. lawmakers; a broad coalition of colleagues, family and friends; and many international individuals and organizations worked tirelessly with the U.S. State Department and the Nigerian government to secure their release.
Read Sweet Crude crew statement
Read press releases:
American film crew detained in Niger Delta
Update: American Documentary Filmmakers Detained in Niger Delta
U.S. Lawmakers Call on Nigerian President to Release Detained Filmmakers
Read letter from U.S. Congress members to Nigerian President Yar’Adua
January 30, 2020 – Interview on CFRO Redeye Go
January 10, 2010 – Interview on KNEWS Go
August 19, 2009 – Cinema Whatever review Go
August 15, 2009 – Variety review Go
August 12, 2009 – Critical Women on Film review Go
July 29, 2009 – IDA interview for DocuWeeks Go
July 10, 2009 – Irish Times article Go
May 31, 2009 – Seattle Post Globe SIFF blog Go
May 21, 2009 – Interview on Democracy Now Go
May 21, 2009 – Interview on KUOW Weekday Go
April 2, 2009 – Interview on WUNC The State of Things Go
January 18, 2009 – New York Times article Go
July 15, 2008 – Interview on KUOW Sound Focus Go
May 28, 2008 – Interview on CNN Inside Africa Go
May 24, 2008 – Interview on KBCS One World Report Go
May 22, 2008 – Interview on KBCS One World Report Go
May 21, 2008 – Seattle Times editorial Go
May 20, 2008 – Seattle Times article Go
May 20, 2008 – Seattle PI article Go
May 9, 2008 – Interview on Democracy Now Go
April 23, 2008 – Interview on KUOW Weekday Go
April 21, 2008 – Interview on KUOW News Go
April 21, 2008 – Interview with The Oregonian Go
April 21, 2008 – Seattle PI article Go
April 20, 2008 – Seattle Times article Go
April 16/18, 2008 – Statement from Reporters Without Borders Go
April 14, 2008 – Statement from Committee to Protect Journalists Go
February 28, 2008 – Interview with The Oregonian Go
February 28, 2008 – Interview on the Thom Hartmann Show Go
February 1, 2007 – Interview on KBCS One World Report Go
December 26, 2006 – Interview on Democracy Now Go
December 20, 2006 – Interview on KUOW Weekday Go
October 30, 2006 – Interview on American Public Media Marketplace Go
September 20, 2006 – Interview on Seattle KUOW Weekday Go
September 12, 2006 – Seattle Times article Go
August 23, 2006 – Interview on Seattle KUOW Weekday Go
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