Watch Apocolypse Africa: Made in America

Apocalypse Africa: Made in America is a 2010 documentary film that was directed by Tchidi Chikere. The film explores the issue of poverty in Africa, and how it has been perpetuated by international financial organizations that are based in America. The film features interviews with experts, activists, and ordinary people from around the continent.

The central message of Apocalypse Africa is that Africa's poverty is not natural, but rather it is the result of a deliberate international policy that is intended to extract resources from the continent while keeping its people dependent and impoverished. The film argues that Western countries and their financial institutions have created and maintained this system for their own benefit, and that this has resulted in a range of social, economic, and environmental problems across the continent.

The film begins by providing an overview of the current situation in Africa, detailing the various ways in which poverty manifests itself. It then delves into the history of the continent, examining the legacy of colonialism and how it has contributed to the current situation. The film argues that colonialism created a system that prioritized the interests of the colonizers at the expense of the colonized, and that this legacy has continued into the present day.

The film then focuses on the role of international financial organizations like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in perpetuating poverty in Africa. The film argues that these institutions have created policies that require African countries to adopt neoliberal economic policies in order to receive loans and other forms of support. These policies have, in turn, led to the dismantling of social programs, the privatization of public services, and the deregulation of markets. The film argues that these policies do not work, and that they have only made poverty worse across the continent.

Throughout the film, viewers meet various Africans who have been affected by poverty in different ways. There is a man who was forced to give up his farm in Zimbabwe when the government began seizing land; a woman who lives in a slum in Lagos, Nigeria; and a group of fishermen in Senegal who can no longer make a living because of overfishing. These personal stories help to illustrate the broader systemic issues that are at play.

The film also provides a detailed examination of the environmental impact of poverty in Africa. The film argues that poverty has led to the destruction of natural resources, including forests, water sources, and wildlife. Viewers see footage of polluted rivers, deforested landscapes, and communities that are struggling to survive in the face of environmental degradation.

Throughout the film, experts and activists weigh in on the issues that are being explored. These experts include African economists, activists, and academics, as well as Western experts who have studied poverty in Africa. They help to provide context and analysis, and they suggest ways in which the current system could be changed in order to benefit Africa's people rather than just its resources.

Overall, Apocalypse Africa is a powerful and thought-provoking documentary that provides a valuable critique of the current international system and its impact on Africa. It argues that poverty in Africa is not natural, but rather it is the result of a system that is designed to benefit Western countries at the expense of African people. The film's focus on personal stories and its powerful environmental message make it a compelling and engaging watch.

Apocolypse Africa: Made in America is a 2006 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 12 minutes.