Greenpeace Africa’s newly released documentary called Crude is expected to be screened in Cape Town next month as part of the 1-Minute Film Fest.
Local Greenpeace Africa film-maker Malcolm Rainers and Greenpeace International Content Editor Angelo Louw, are on a mission to change the narrative around the world through film.
In 2020, they showcased the documentary called Gutted: The Fight of Kalk Bay Fishers which told the story of harmful industrial fishing companies which continued to destroy South African marine resources and the tales of the communities suffering with fishing permits and their plight to protect their livelihoods.
The short film won best documentary at the Kaduma Film Festival in Nigeria and was selected for the Jozi Film Fest in Johannesburg.
Now three years later, their documentary, Crude, will tell the tale of the oil industry in Africa and in parts of Durban particularly.
Rainers explained the passion behind their work: “We make films with the intention to change the world for the better, especially for the communities we highlight in our documentaries. That's what brings me fulfilment as a filmmaker.
“Wentworth residents have dealt with a lot of issues because of the oil refineries, and we hoped to raise as much awareness as possible so that they don’t continue to suffer.”
Louw said the documentary would also be screened right here in the Mother City for people to get a taste of the reality of what is happening.
“We plan to screen in Cape Town at the next 1-Minute Film Fest, which I believe is in February,” he added.
They explained the documentary highlighted the plight of the community of Wentworth at the hands of surrounding fossil fuel industries.
“It was launched at the 1-Minute Film Festival and will soon be available for streaming. Wentworth residents have been resisting the surrounding fossil fuels companies for years, which regularly sideline them and erase them from decision-making while destroying their health,” explained Louw.
Louw said Crude told the stories of some of the residents of the South Durban Basin, their battles with ill health, their suffering at the hands of the surrounding fossil fuel companies, and their attempts to bring change to their community.
It also details some research from the University of KwaZulu-Natal into the health impacts in the area, and how Wentworth came to be a cancer cluster he detailed.
Crude details the shocking knock-on impact of air pollution in Wentworth, where epigenetic changes which make community members prone to certain respiratory illnesses trap them in a spiral of chronic poverty, substance abuse and gender-based violence Louw stated.
“Communities like this, that have decades of first-hand experience with the exploits of the fossil fuels industry, are systematically excluded from the public eye. When we ignore the voices of society’s most vulnerable, we leave everyone vulnerable to the same kind of oppression, because how are we to make decisions when we do not have a full understanding of the consequences?”
Gender-based violence (GBV) activist and Wentworth resident Oliver Meth said exterior stresses added to life and behaviour of people.
“We will never address GBV without addressing the root causes. South Durban Basin has seen numerous events of ecological damage that feed into GBV and femicide in the surrounding communities. Climate hazards from water shortages to air pollution create chronic stressors which trap these communities in poverty and rigid gender roles. We must hold the fossil fuel industry accountable for its role in the architecture of chronic injustice.”
Greenpeace Africa climate and energy campaigner Thandile Chinyavanhu said the documentary would showcase the reality: “We hope that with this documentary, South Africans will see the true cost of our government’s support of oil and gas exploration in the country, and that we end this cycle of false promises and destruction. Our government needs to throw its energy into ensuring a greener future with more reliable sources of energy. History has shown us that dirty energy benefits no one.”
The trailer for Crude can be viewed on Greenpeace Africa’s YouTube channel.