Part III of the World Affairs Council's Crossroads Film & Discussion Series BIG MEN In the finest tradition of investigative reporting, Big Men leaves no stone unturned as it unpacks a specific topic, with the aim of baring the roots of our society's dysfunction. At issue: a legal, political and financial saga centred on oil reserves off the coast of Ghana. Political upheavals, suspected corruption, political resignations, treachery and unbearable shareholder pressure all come together in a real-life suspense story that is also an exposé of the intricate failures of globalization. Film followed by expert-facilitated discussion. ~Beer, wine, sandwiches, drinks & snacks are available for purchase from concession stand ABOUT THE FILM: The film's central story follows a small group of American explorers at Dallas-based oil company Kosmos Energy. Between 2007 and 2011, with unprecedented, independent access, Big Men's two-person crew filmed inside the oil company as Kosmos and its partners discovered and developed the first commercial oil field in Ghana's history. Simultaneously the crew filmed in the swamps of Nigeria's Niger Delta, following the exploits of a militant gang to reveal another side of the economy of oil: people trying to profit in any way possible, because they've given up on waiting for the money to trickle down. So what happens when a group of hungry people discover a massive and exquisitely rare pot of gold in one of the poorest places on earth? WHY THIS FILM? VIA HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH: In Nigeria and elsewhere, Human Rights Watch has looked extensively at the human rights cost of oil drilling, focusing in particular on the silencing of activists, the environmental impact of drilling, the lack of accountability for security force abuses, and the mismanagement of oil revenue in the face of endemic poverty. Human Rights Watch has also explored in numerous reports the link between abundant resources and unfulfilled human rights, notably basic health care and education, as well as the challenge of eradicating corruption and ensuring fiscal transparency.