Poison Fire, a documentary exposing oil and gas abuses in Nigeria and featuring Friends of the Earth Nigeria volunteers, was launched with a world premiere at the prestigious International Documentary Film Festival of Amsterdam (IDFA) Nov 20-30.
The Niger Delta in Nigeria is an environmental disaster zone after fifty years of oil exploitation. One and a half million tons of crude oil have been spilled into the creeks, farms and forests. Natural gas contained in the crude oil is burnt off in gas flares that produce as much greenhouse gases as 18 millions cars and release toxic substances in densely populated areas.
The film director followed a team of local Nigerian activists to impoverished communities, creeks full of crude oil, devastated mangrove forests, wellheads leaking gas, and to oil giant Shell's annual general meeting in the Netherlands.
Communities fight back with non-violent means and win over Shell in a Nigerian court.