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A decade ago, Ghana discovered oil and dreamed of economic prosperity. The people believed the so-called ‘black gold’ would bring long-awaited progress, including modern infrastructure, jobs and electricity to every corner of the country. For Ghana, oil was seen as the ticket to better life.
But what happens when dreams and globalization meet? “The Oil and Us,” a thought-provoking documentary shot over ten years, brings to the fore the impact of oil discovery on a coastal region where people lived off fishing and rubber cultivation for decades. Filmmaker Elke Sasse and journalist Andrea Stäritz provide a closer look at the people who believed they had struck gold and their hopes for future prosperity. Nigerian animator Ebele Okoye adds a personal perspective through art, having grown up in a country hit by the oil curse. The journey to uncover the truth about Ghana’s oil wealth is fraught with challenges and complications, as Sasse and Stäritz uncover the realities of globalization in action.
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