The Eyes of Ghana: release date, where to watch and what to know about IShowSpeed’s documentary

• The Eyes of Ghana, produced by IShowSpeed and executive produced by Barack and Michelle Obama, is scheduled for a one-night cinema screening in the United States and Canada on 28 October 2026.

• The documentary follows 93-year-old Ghanaian cinematographer Chris Hesse as he races to preserve more than 1,000 films documenting Africa’s independence era, with help from filmmaker Anita Afonu.

• Directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Ben Proudfoot, the film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2025. No cinema release date or streaming plans have been announced for Ghana or other African countries.

The project is produced by popular online streamer IShowSpeed, whose real name is Darren Watkins Jr, with former US President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama serving as executive producers through their production company, Higher Ground.

Directed by two-time Academy Award winner Ben Proudfoot, the documentary premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2025, where it opened the festival’s documentary section. It subsequently won the Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature at the Hamptons International Film Festival and has earned further recognition at international film festivals.

The film has also received positive reviews, with a reported 94% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

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The documentary centres on Chris Hesse, a 93-year-old Ghanaian cinematographer who served as the personal cameraman to Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah.

As his eyesight deteriorates, Hesse undertakes a race against time to preserve more than 1,000 films documenting Africa’s independence struggles and the political transformations of the 1950s and 1960s.

Much of the archive remained hidden for decades following Nkrumah’s overthrow in 1966. With the help of his protégé, filmmaker Anita Afonu, Hesse works to rescue the historic footage and prepare it for a public screening at Accra’s Rex Cinema.

The documentary explores the importance of preserving Ghana’s cinematic heritage and safeguarding historical records that offer insight into the continent’s independence era. Some scenes were filmed using IMAX 65mm film.

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The film is scheduled for a special one-night theatrical screening on Wednesday, 28 October 2026, at participating cinemas across the United States and Canada.

According to Cinemark, the documentary has a runtime of one hour and 31 minutes and carries a PG rating.

However, no release date has been announced for Ghana or other African countries.

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Audiences can check available cinemas and showtimes and purchase tickets through the documentary’s official website, TheEyesOfGhana.com.

Visitors can select the 'Get Tickets' option and search for their city to find participating venues. Cinema chains including Regal, AMC and Cinemark are among those listed as screening the film, alongside selected independent cinemas and other exhibitors.

Ticket prices may vary depending on the cinema and location. As of the announcement, no streaming or home-viewing release plans had been confirmed.

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IShowSpeed is credited as one of the film’s producers, alongside Nana Adwoa Frimpong, Anita Afonu and Moses Bwayo.

The executive production team includes Barack and Michelle Obama, British-Ghanaian filmmaker Sir John Akomfrah and Kofi Amoo-Gottfried.

Speaking about his involvement, IShowSpeed said, '“It is a great honour to be part of The Eyes of Ghana and help bring this extraordinary piece of history to the big screen.”'

He also reflected on the strong connection he felt with Ghana after visiting the country earlier in 2026.

Ethan Lewis, Head of Non-Fiction at Higher Ground, described the documentary as a testament to cinema’s ability to preserve history, saying it '“speaks to the power of film to preserve our collective memory.”'

With its focus on Hesse’s efforts to protect a significant historical archive, 'The Eyes of Ghana' brings renewed attention to the role of film in documenting Ghana’s past and preserving Africa’s cultural memory for future generations.