Impact Days Catalogue
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By Roland Chauville, Tay Blyth-Kubota, Roland Chauville and Tay Blyth-Kubota

Geneva, Oil at Any Price

Genève, du pétrole à tout prix
IMPACT DAYS

The documentary exposes the judicial case of Gunvor, a Geneva-based oil trading company convicted of corruption in October 2019. Through this concrete example of corruption, the film questions how certain Swiss trading companies conduct their business in developing countries, as well as the impact of corruption on those countries. The movie also looks into the ambiguous attitude of Switzerland: it actively welcomed these companies with tax breaks and does little to regulate them. This journey through corruption and the resource curse is made by Roland, a concerned citizen of Geneva where 1/3 of the world’s oil is traded. He is accompanied by two Congolese activists, Moke who is traveling to Geneva to testify at the United Nations about the human rights situation at home, and Brice, who fights the oil corruption and the kleptocrat elites in Pointe Noire, the oil capital of Congo.

Sections : Impact Days, Impact Days
Country : Republic of the Congo, Switzerland
Original languages : English, French
Directors
Roland Chauville
Tay Blyth-Kubota
Roland Chauville (Switzerland)
Tay Blyth-Kubota (United Kingdom)
Producers
Roland Chauville
Roland Chauville (Switzerland)
Les Productions du Noyer
RTS – Radio télévision suisse romande
Completion
June 2021
Impact Statement
The documentary targets the Swiss public, politicians, and journalists, encouraging discussions with elected officials. Swiss NGOs are expected to leverage the film for federal advocacy through Parliament. It exposes the problematic business model of trading companies, highlighting their minimal regulation and the impact of their corruption in developing countries. The film aims to concretize corruption and human rights violations, urging Swiss authorities to act. Proposed measures include establishing a surveillance authority and enacting a federal transparency law, compelling trading companies to disclose payments to state entities and foreign agents, to prevent future misconduct.
Geneva, Oil at Any Price's impact campaign has raised the profile in Switzerland of the concept of ill-gotten profits made by companies and the need to redistribute them to the populations affected by corruption by mobilising civil society and parliamentarians to challenge the Swiss government's laissez faire.
Impact Goals
  1. To change the view of the Swiss audience on the responsibility of Switzerland as a hub of oil trading.
  2. To push the Swiss government to spend part of the 90 million fine paid by Gunvor on development projects and anti-corruption.
Impact Strategy
  • Organise screenings in Swiss cities (Geneva, Lausanne, Fribourg, Bern, Yverdon) in collaboration with Public Eye to raise awareness about corruption scandals linked to Swiss oil companies and about the responsibility of Switzerland as a hub of oil trading.
  • Write a letter to the Swiss government to ask them to spend part of the 90 million fine paid by Gunvor on development projects and anti-corruption.
  • Collaborate with Swiss politicians to explore legislative initiatives to ensure that future corruption fines are better redistributed to the population where the corruption occurred.
Contact
Primary contact
Roland Chauville (Switzerland): productionsdunoyer@gmail.com
Participants present at the Impact Days
Roland Chauville (Switzerland)
Tay Blyth-Kubota (United Kingdom)

NGOs / Organisations
Public Eye
Swissaid
Stop spéculations

Funders
RTS
StoryBoard Collective

Broadcasters
RTS
TV5 Monde
Bloomberg Asharq TV

NGOs / Organisations
Public Eye
Swissaid
Stop spéculations

Funders
RTS
StoryBoard Collective

Broadcasters
RTS
TV5 Monde
Bloomberg Asharq TV