IShowSpeed joins Barack and Michelle Obama as a producer on The Eyes of Ghana.
The livestreamer joins a film tracing cinematographer Chris Tsui Hesse’s effort to preserve footage of Ghana’s independence era.
American livestreamer IShowSpeed has joined The Eyes of Ghana as a producer, alongside Barack and Michelle Obama. The documentary explores Ghana’s history through rare footage of Africa’s independence movement.
Two-time Academy Award-winning filmmaker Ben Proudfoot directs the project. Meanwhile, the former US president and former first lady serve as executive producers through their company, Higher Ground.
Higher Ground and Breakwater Studios are partnering to bring the film to cinemas. For IShowSpeed, the project marks a move into documentary filmmaking, following a visit that strengthened his connection to Ghana.
Ghana visit inspires IShowSpeed’s involvement
IShowSpeed said his visit to Ghana earlier this year left him feeling deeply connected to the country. Learning about cinematographer Chris Tsui Hesse’s work also expanded his understanding of Ghana and its people.
He expressed pride in helping share Hesse’s story with his global audience. The livestreamer also highlighted how Hesse’s camera recorded the emergence of African independence.
For IShowSpeed, preserving those images means future generations can witness that history. His participation is expected to introduce the documentary to younger viewers unfamiliar with Hesse’s contribution.
The Eyes of Ghana follows a threatened archive
At the centre of the documentary is Hesse, the personal cameraman to Ghana’s first president, Dr Kwame Nkrumah. His collection includes more than 1,000 reels recording Ghana’s political transformation and the wider African liberation struggle.
The footage covers the 1950s and 1960s, capturing a defining period for Ghana and the continent. However, fears grew that much of the material had disappeared after the 1966 coup that toppled Nkrumah.
Hesse preserved the archive despite those fears, protecting a visual record of the independence era. The film follows his decades-long effort to safeguard the reels and keep that history available.
Now in his 90s, Hesse faces deteriorating eyesight as he works to restore the collection. He is also working with younger filmmakers to protect the material and make it accessible to the public.
One-night cinema release scheduled for October 2026
The documentary premiered at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival before screening at the BFI London Film Festival. Those appearances brought international attention to Hesse’s preservation work ahead of its planned cinema release.
A special one-night theatrical release is scheduled for October 28, 2026, across participating US and Canadian cinemas. The screenings will bring Hesse’s story to cinema audiences as his work to restore the archive continues.
