Feature-length film brings the story of the U.S.-backed ‘Lobito Corridor’ – the most significant geopolitical development in Africa in decades – to a popular global audience.
To watch the film, click here.
Lobito Bound: A journey to Africa’s new frontier follows explorer Dwayne Fields on an epic journey across Africa’s ‘Lobito Corridor’, a new frontline in the global battle for critical minerals. The film, which was commissioned by Africell, investigates whether the Lobito Corridor will bring real progress or simply shift the balance of control between rival superpowers.
From the Indian Ocean to the Atlantic, Fields travels through Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola on a four-thousand-kilometre expedition to capture the story of the Lobito Corridor first-hand and trace the impact of global power struggles on local lives. Along the way, the film listens to the voices of those living and working along this evolving route; industry workers, humanitarian staff, journalists, and local communities, whose stories reveal the region’s complexity, and the quiet, shifting nature of change.
Co-produced by Grammar Productions and Longerdays Productions in association with the Africell Impact Foundation, the film offers a rare on-the-ground look at one of the most significant yet least-understood developments shaping Africa’s economic and geopolitical future.
Leopold Belanger, director, says “This wasn’t intended to be a political film or a journalistic piece, but rather an observational journey, capturing a region at a pivotal moment, just before development might reshape it forever. The film is not about conclusions, but about paying attention: to vast, dry landscapes already marked by the mining industry; to communities whose lives are entangled with mineral extraction; and to the railway itself, a powerful symbol of both promise and disruption.”
Presented by British explorer Dwayne Fields, the film also carries a deeply personal dimension. DNA tests taken before the expedition revealed that Dwayne has roots in Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Zambia, the very nations that make up the Lobito Corridor.
Fields says that this documentary “was a snapshot into an Africa caught between the forces of colonialism and modernity, past and future, land and sea, east and west, forwards and backwards. Ultimately, it was an exploration not just of a place, but also of history, of the global economy, of our planet, and of the unpredictable effects big ideas can have on the lives of ordinary people.”
Lobito Bound was made possible through the support of Africell, a telecommunications company whose mission aligns with the film’s central theme of connection.
Sam Williams, Africell’s head of communications, adds: “Connection in this context is not just about railways, or even just about geography. It is about cutting the gaps between the urban and the rural, the rich and the poor, the educated and the less well educated. Connection is about creating opportunities, enabling dialogue, and bringing people together, both physically and digitally. Connecting customers and communities in this way is what Africell does every day. So, the idea of ‘connection’ inherent in the Lobito Corridor is something that we too care about, and that we too want to bring to life.”
Directed by Léopold Belanger (The Last Overland), Lobito Bound combines expedition filmmaking with cinematic observation to tell a story that is both intimate and globally significant. Capturing the moment before large-scale development irreversibly changes the region, this film offers audiences a glimpse into a frontier where opportunity and uncertainty intertwine. There are no simple answers. At its heart, it’s a story of quiet hope: hope that, this time, development might bring lasting benefit to the region, the continent, and the people whose lives it affects.
Co-produced by Angèle de Lorme and Alex Bescoby, and executive produced by Ziad Dalloul and Sam Williams, Lobito Bound continues Grammar Productions’ commitment to telling stories of exploration, connection, and global change.
- A film by Léopold Belanger
- Produced by Grammar Productions and Longerdays Productions
- Presented by Africell Impact Foundation
- 72min / 52 min l HD l 16/9 l ENG l UK l Documentary l 2025
For more information, visit lobitobound.com
About Grammar Productions
Grammar is an award-winning production company creating content for broadcasters and brands globally, specializing in documentaries, branded series, and live events.
About Longerdays Productions
Longerdays Productions is a creative film company that champions new voices and tells cinematic stories that inspire and connect with audiences around the world.