American streamer iShowSpeed has joined former US President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as a producer of The Eyes of Ghana, a documentary about veteran Ghanaian cinematographer Rev. Dr Chris Tsui Hesse and his mission to preserve the country’s cinematic history.
The 90-minute film, directed by two-time Academy Award winner Ben Proudfoot, will receive a special one-night theatrical screening across the United States and Canada on Wednesday, October 28, 2026.
The event is being organised by Breakwater Studios and Higher Ground, the production company founded by the Obamas. Participating cinema chains include Regal, AMC and Cinemark, alongside selected independent theatres.
iShowSpeed, whose real name is Darren Watkins, joined the project following a visit to Ghana earlier this year, which deepened his connection to the country’s history and heritage. He has since shared the film’s official trailer with his global audience.
Preserving Ghana’s cinematic history
The Eyes of Ghana follows Hesse’s efforts to preserve more than 1,000 reels of historical footage documenting Ghana’s independence and the wider African liberation movement during the 1950s and 1960s.
Born in Osu, Accra, Hesse began his professional career in 1954 at the film establishment that later became the Ghana Film Industry Corporation (GFIC). His work brought him to the attention of Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, who entrusted him with documenting presidential activities and significant events during the country’s early years of independence.
Hesse also documented major political developments, produced newsreels and documentaries, and contributed to acclaimed Ghanaian films, including Kwaw Ansah’s Love Brewed in the African Pot and Heritage Africa. His international assignments included documenting the Congo Crisis in 1960.
Following the 1966 military coup that overthrew Nkrumah, Hesse safeguarded an extensive collection of film material that might otherwise have been lost. Much of the archive remained largely unseen for decades.
As his eyesight deteriorated with age, he began a race against time to recover, preserve and make the footage accessible to the public.
Working with young Ghanaian filmmaker Anita Afonu and her colleagues, Hesse also sought to pass the responsibility of documenting and preserving the country’s history to a new generation. Their efforts culminated in a public screening at Accra’s historic Rex Cinema, allowing audiences to see footage that had remained outside public view for generations.
The documentary emerged from a chance encounter between Hesse and Proudfoot several years ago, leading the veteran filmmaker to entrust the director with telling his story.
iShowSpeed’s connection to Ghana
For iShowSpeed, the project carries personal significance. During his Speed Does Africa tour earlier in 2026, the 21-year-old content creator visited Ghana, described the country as “back home” and spoke about his Ghanaian ancestry.
His visit included the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park in Accra, a landmark featured in the documentary. There, he recreated a pose associated with Nkrumah, whose political life Hesse spent years documenting.
“It is a great honor to be part of The Eyes of Ghana and help bring this extraordinary piece of history to the big screen,” Watkins said.
He added that learning about Hesse’s work had deepened his understanding of Ghana and its people.
“His camera captured the birth of African independence, and his determination to preserve those images has ensured that future generations can witness it for themselves. I’m humbled by his legacy and proud to help bring his story to my community,” he said.
With more than 200 million followers across platforms, iShowSpeed’s involvement is expected to introduce Hesse’s story to younger audiences worldwide, extending the documentary’s reach beyond its earlier festival screenings.
Obamas support international release
Barack and Michelle Obama serve as executive producers through Higher Ground, which supports stories with cultural and social significance.
Ethan Lewis, Head of Non-Fiction at Higher Ground, praised Hesse’s decades-long commitment to preserving Ghanaian and African history.
“Chris Hesse spent more than six decades documenting and safeguarding an extraordinary chapter of Ghanaian and African history,” Lewis said.
He said Higher Ground was proud to partner with iShowSpeed, Proudfoot, Breakwater Studios and the production team to bring the film to cinemas on October 28.
The documentary premiered at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, where it opened the documentary programme, before screening in competition at the BFI London Film Festival.
Its honours include the Special Jury Prize and Best Documentary at the Africa International Film Festival in Lagos, audience awards at the Hamptons International and Annapolis Film Festivals, and the Jimmy Stewart Legacy Award at the Heartland Film Festival.
The film’s original score was composed by Academy Award winner Kris Bowers and recorded with the Chineke! Orchestra and Ghanaian musicians at Abbey Road Studios. Brandon Somerhalder served as cinematographer, including on sequences captured using IMAX 65mm film.
The production team includes Proudfoot, Nana Adwoa Frimpong, Moses Bwayo, Anita Afonu, Somerhalder, Lewis, Vinnie Malhotra and Watkins.
The October 28 screenings will bring Hesse’s story to a wider North American audience, highlighting the importance of preserving Ghana’s visual history and ensuring that future generations can access the footage documenting the country’s independence and Africa’s liberation struggles.
For Hesse, the mission extends beyond saving old film reels. It is about ensuring that Ghana’s history remains visible and that younger generations continue documenting the stories that shape the nation.
His message to the young filmmakers working alongside him remains simple: “keep on filming.”
