Fuel is a documentary that critically examines the impact of the world’s dependence on fossil fuels and investigates the alternatives to this addiction. The movie been showcased at 30 international film festivals and has won multiple international documentary awards, including the Sundance Audience Award.

These accolades are not surprising given the balanced, yet assertive stance approach in uncovering the complicated history of the dependence on oil in the light of the development of biofuels.

The movie, directed by Josh Tickell, combines a personal narrative of one man’s dedication to biofuels within a broader contextual framework of the reliance of modern society on oil and the dangers this poses to the earth and her population.

Fuel exposes the underhanded tactics of the largest corporations in the world in securing their market via government payoffs, legislative influence, and large scale cover up stories. It chronicles cases of environmental destruction, greed driven war, and large scale public health concerns, all at the hands of obscenely massive corporations with profit as their only driver. Despite the heavy truths that the documentary exposes, it also provides an inspiring and hopeful message for the future, and Josh Tickell does an amazing job of presenting some alternatives to the current paradigm.

The movie also traces the rise and fall, and rise again, of biofuels in relation to the incomprehensibly massive oil industrial complex that they are competing against. Though the director’s sympathies clearly lie with alternative energy solutions to the oil industry, he does not shy away from acknowledging the pitfalls of biofuels including common critiques such as the risk of using food crops to power automobiles.

Rather he addresses these downfalls head on and interviews several politicians, business men and academic authorities who are working on innovative methods that rethink the older models of biofuel production into more sustainable techniques and practises.

Utimately, Fuel is a documentary that provides a deep insight into the complex, nefarious history of the oil industry, while offering an inspiring and positive outlook toward the future. There is a catch tot he happy ending however; consumers, activists and politicians need to unite in support of alternatives to the current system which is contributing to world-wide conflict, disease and environmental degradation.

Fuel will be playing at independent theatres and Ster-Kinekor Cinema Nouveau nationwide from July 27

For more information on the movie click here.