Documentary on Africa’s fight for independence marks IShowSpeed’s film production debut
A new creative venture brings Africa’s liberation struggles and its fight against colonialism to the screen—wait till you see who’s behind it.
The trailer for The Eyes of Ghana is out as of Oct. 16, 2026 , and it zeroes in on Ghanaian cinematographer Chris Hesse—the personal cameraman to Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah—as he races to save an irreplaceable archive: more than 1,000 reels capturing independence movements across Africa in the 1950s and ’60s. With Hesse’s eyesight fading, the work of preserving, cataloging, and protecting those images becomes a literal race against time.
Backing the project is YouTube star IShowSpeed (Darren Watkins Jr.), making his producing debut. It’s a sharp left turn from the viral chaos of his livestreams to a sober, historical documentary —and it puts his massive audience behind a story that rarely gets a big-screen spotlight.
The film also traces the danger surrounding the material after the 1966 coup that removed Nkrumah from power, when historical recordings were reportedly at risk of being destroyed. Hesse’s mission isn’t just nostalgia; it’s about safeguarding a visual record of how independence was organized, fought for, and won on the continent.
“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. I felt a profound connection to Ghana when I visited this year, and learning about Chris Hesse’s work deepened my understanding of the country and its people,” IShowSpeed said in a statement.
One night in theaters
The documentary will play a special one-night theatrical event on Oct. 28, 2026, in participating cinemas across the United States and Canada. Tickets and local showtimes are available through the film’s official site.
In the New York–New Jersey area, listed Regal screenings include:
- Regal Essex Crossing (NY) — 6:35 p.m., 6:50 p.m., 7:05 p.m.
- Regal Deer Park — 6:40 p.m.
- Regal New Roc — 6:05 p.m.
- Regal Secaucus — 6:50 p.m.
- Regal Commerce Center — 6:00 p.m.
- Regal Lynbrook — 7:10 p.m.
- Regal Hadley Theatre — 1:00 p.m.
Showtimes can change; check the official site or your local theater for the latest listings ahead of the Oct. 28 event.