SWEET CRUDE: A FILM ABOUT THE NIGER DELTA
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.
The documentary film Sweet Crude tells the story of Nigeria’s Niger Delta. The region is seething and the global stakes are high. But in this moment, there’s an opportunity to find solutions. What if the world paid attention before it was too late?
Urgent alert: Nigerian military bombing and burning 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.
Upcoming screenings
If you're in the vicinity, see us at these festivals coming up soon: Galway Film Fleadh July 7-12 in Galway, Ireland; Rhode Island International Film Festival August 4-9 in Providence, Rhode Island; and DocuWest Film Festival August 6-9 in Golden, Colorado.
SIFF 2009 is a successful wrap!
Sweet Crude had three screenings at the Seattle International Film Festival June 3rd, 7th and 13th. Audience response was fantastic. Director Sandy Cioffi won the Lena Sharpe Award for Persistence of Vision and the film was first runner-up for the Golden Space Needle Best Documentary Award. Thanks to all who attended and made this festival truly memorable!
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 time, limited edition Sabotage poster fundraiser to help defray the huge cost of our crew's detainment in Nigeria and getting 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.
What's Next?
Sweet Crude is moving ahead on several fronts. Our world premiere was April 4th 2009 at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival. Meanwhile, we are seeking a distributor and entering more festivals. We will also continue to advocate for political solutions with U.S. lawmakers. Many people have asked where they can see the film or how to get a copy. We will let you know as soon as we know – so sign up for our email list to stay informed.
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