Punctuated by shots of the Niger Delta’s beautiful landscapes and wildlife so ravaged by poison, Hope Is A Word is as visually arresting as it is reflective.
Around 240,000 barrels of oil are spilt into the earth and water of the Niger Delta every year. Making entire stretches unlivable and reducing life expectancy to as low as 41, the people affected demand change and an end to oil extraction. This is the basis that drives Hope Is a Word, foregrounding the anger and pain of the surrounding Nigerians and indigenous communities so deeply affected. Rich with poetry, powerful visuals, and personal stories, the film depicts a collective fight and a new generation full of fear and hope.
It proves poetry is an act of resistance, framed through the eyes and words of Nnimmo Bassey, Nigerian activist and author. Shot as he nears his 70th birthday, Bassey’s life’s work, protesting and fighting to end oil extraction, is captured, as are his attempts to cultivate a new generation of activist poets. The documentary follows these poets and workshops as they branch out, spreading their messages and working with their communities to demand justice.
The film also carves out a place for Ken Saro-Wiwa, Bassey’s friend and mentor, who was executed by the Nigerian state in 1995. An Ogoni writer and activist, known for his central role in the mass movement against this degradation, Bassey carries his words and message in Hope Is A Word, as he does in his workshops and speeches.
This is Maria Galliani Dyrvik’s first documentary feature as writer and director, and she succeeds at letting the voices of those impacted take centre stage. With intimate, vulnerable moments that fully portray the pain and desperation of those involved, you feel the decades-old struggle and this fight with profound urgency and compassion. Taking an unobtrusive approach, Galliani Dyrvik allows the events and emotions to unfold organically through the testimonies and lived experiences of those at its centre.
Punctuated by shots of the Niger Delta’s beautiful landscapes and wildlife so ravaged by poison, Hope Is A Word is as visually arresting as it is reflective. The camera travels with Bassey on trips to newly recovered land, and to points where even the soil is soaked with petrol. Rather than observing these realities from a distance, the film immerses us in the devastation, confronting us with the human and environmental toll exacted by an industry that has reshaped both land and life. Throughout, the narrative pauses so that the words of poets Barinedum, Odudu, and Ukpono, as well as Nnimmo, can have their own moment, reflecting the beauty and meaning of their work. More than moments of artistic reflection, these poems are acts of preservation, empowerment and resistance.
Shown, too, are the feelings of those elsewhere in the community, encouraged by Bassey’s proteges to share their voices and words. In doing so, the documentary speaks to the resilience of such resistance and the breadth of this impact. It refuses to present this fight as a spectacle or something close to resolution, but rather as something sustained; enduring but far from over.
At its heart, Hope Is A Word is an attempt to spread awareness and drive action. While telling the stories of these poet-activists and their developing work, it amplifies the crisis and those voices affected, calling for urgent attention as companies like Shell divest with little accountability. With grit and lyricism, it educates its audience and demands collective accountability, ensuring these voices resonate long after the film ends.
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