The Eyes of Ghana Review: A 93-Year-Old Cameraman’s Race to Save Africa’s Lost Film Archive

History isn’t only written in books. Sometimes it’s stored on rolls of film in a vault, waiting for someone to bring it back into the light. The Eyes of Ghana tells the story of one of those rescues, and of the man at the center of it. He’s 93 years old, he’s losing his sight, and he spent his career filming the birth of a nation.

The documentary is directed by two-time Oscar winner Ben Proudfoot, whose earlier work includes the short films The Queen of Basketball and The Last Repair Shop. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2025 and won the Audience Award at the Hamptons International Film Festival. Barack and Michelle Obama are executive producers. After a strong festival run, it comes to US and Canadian theaters for a special one-night-only screening on October 28, 2026, with a push from streaming star IShowSpeed, who partnered with Breakwater Studios and the Obamas’ Higher Ground to bring it to cinemas. The film runs about 90 minutes.

The Story: A Cameraman, a Lost Archive, and a Race Against Time

Chris Hesse spent decades behind the camera as the personal cinematographer to Kwame Nkrumah, the revolutionary leader who helped guide Ghana to independence in 1957 and served as the country’s first president. Hesse filmed some of the most significant moments of Africa’s 20th century, in the 1950s and 1960s, including powerful footage of Nkrumah addressing the United Nations. He rarely stepped in front of the lens himself.

Then came the 1966 military coup that overthrew Nkrumah. The films Hesse and his colleagues made in Ghana were destroyed in its aftermath, and a whole chapter of African history seemed to vanish. But the story isn’t over. Many of the negatives had survived, and they remained safely stored in an archive in London.

Now Hesse is 93, and glaucoma threatens to take his sight. Time is running out. He teams up with a passionate young Ghanaian filmmaker named Anita Afonu, who met him while making a short documentary called Perished Diamonds. Together, they set out to rescue, restore, and repatriate more than 1,000 films, a treasure trove that has never been seen by the public. The film follows their efforts to digitize the archive and bring it home, and it asks a larger question about who gets to tell a nation’s story.

Two Generations, One Mission

The heart of the film is the relationship between Hesse and Afonu. He’s a patient teacher who guides a new generation, and she’s a determined young filmmaker who wants to make sure his work lives on. Their exchanges give the film its warmth and energy. Hesse lectures to audiences of young Ghanaian filmmakers, and he invites them to ask him questions. It’s a moving picture of knowledge being passed from one generation to the next.

Hesse is also a compelling subject. He spent his career behind the camera, and the film gives him the rare chance to be in front of it. It lets him speak at his own pace. We learn about his career, his love of cinema, and his memories of the people and moments he captured, all with a sense of humility. There’s something poignant about a man whose job was to see losing his own vision.

Proudfoot, who is known for short documentaries with a personal touch, uses the same intimate style here. The film is warm, accessible, and carefully made, with a score by Kris Bowers. This is a documentary designed to be moving.

The Archive Is the Real Star

For many viewers, the highlight will be the footage itself. Only about fifteen minutes of Hesse’s restored archive appears in the film, but those images are remarkable. They show a young nation full of hope, and a leader at the center of a movement that changed the world. Seeing those moments through the eyes of someone who stood right beside them gives them a freshness that history books rarely capture.

At the same time, the limited amount of footage may leave some viewers wanting more, since the film is about material that’s still being rescued.

Where the Film Falls Short

The Eyes of Ghana is first and foremost a portrait of a cameraman, not a deep political history. It touches on Nkrumah’s legacy and the era in which he lived, but it doesn’t explore the complexities of his government or the debates around his rule in detail. Viewers hoping for a full account of that period may find it too gentle.

The film’s gentle, inspiring approach is part of its appeal, but it may feel less daring than some viewers expect from a film about such a major historical subject.

Who Should Watch It

This is a great pick for fans of documentaries about film history, African history, and intergenerational stories. It’s also family-friendly, since the film carries a PG rating, and it’s a good choice for anyone interested in how archives shape the stories we tell. If you love cinema, Hesse’s passion for the art form will be contagious.

Because it’s a one-night-only event, you’ll need to plan ahead. Participating theaters include Regal, AMC, Cinemark, and independent cinemas.

The Verdict

The Eyes of Ghana is a warm, inspiring, and beautifully crafted documentary about a man who spent his life preserving history and the young filmmaker who helps him save it. It’s gentle rather than groundbreaking, but its heart is hard to resist, and its archive footage offers a rare glimpse into a pivotal moment in African history. It’s a film that reminds us why preserving the past matters.

Rating: 4/5

Watch the Trailer

Quick Facts

• Title: The Eyes of Ghana
• Director: Ben Proudfoot
• Genre: Documentary
• Runtime: 1h 30m (90 minutes)
• Rated: PG
• Featuring: Chris Hesse, Anita Afonu, Edmund Addo, Kwame Nkrumah (archive footage)
• Music: Kris Bowers
• Executive producers: Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, John Akomfrah, and others
• Languages: English, Twi, Ga
• Countries: USA, Ghana, United Kingdom
• Awards: Audience Award, Hamptons International Film Festival
• Premiere: Toronto International Film Festival, September 2025
• Presented by: Breakwater Studios, Higher Ground, IShowSpeed
• Release date: October 28, 2026 (one-night-only event in US and Canadian theaters)

Where to Watch

The Eyes of Ghana screens in US and Canadian theaters for one night only on October 28, 2026, through Breakwater Studios. Participating exhibitors include Regal, AMC, Cinemark, and independent cinemas. No release date has been announced for Ghana or other African countries, and no streaming plans have been announced.

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