Delta, Oil's Dirty Business

In the Niger Delta a significant percentage of the world's oil can be found, resulting in a booming oil industry. Unfortunately, this goes hand in hand with severe human rights violations and a of the environment. As petroleum leaks into the river, not only flora and fauna are destroyed but the food chain is poisoned as well, making it very difficult for the 27 million inhabitants of the area, the Ijaws, Ogoni and Itsekiris, to survive.

The documentary Delta, oil's dirty business focuses on different parties that are involved in the oil industry in Nigeria. When producing the film, Yorgos Avgeropoulos spoke with militia of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) and filmed them on their speedboat patrols. The film also shows confrontations with local politicians, those benefiting from Shell community programmes, journalists as well as both the most informed and least privileged local residents.

Delta, oil's dirty business illustrates some of the negative consequences of economic globalisation on human rights and development. The documentary has won awards at several festivals at Biarritz, Geneva and Palermo.