Watch and Learn: A Video Library
Want to explore how communities around the world are working to bring their cultural treasures home? We've gathered some of the most compelling video stories that bring these efforts to life.
From museum halls to community centres, these documentaries and news features capture the passionate voices driving change, the complex challenges they face, and the inspiring successes along the way. Whether you're new to these discussions or deeply involved, there's something here to spark your interest.
From museum halls to community centres, these documentaries and news features capture the passionate voices driving change, the complex challenges they face, and the inspiring successes along the way. Whether you're new to these discussions or deeply involved, there's something here to spark your interest.
Short Documentaries
Stolen Soul: Africa's Looted Art
Almut Dieden, 2020
42 minutes
This documentary examines European museums' complicated reckoning with artefacts acquired through colonial era violence and oppression. Spotlighting stories of stolen cultural treasures like the Benin Bronzes and Namibia's Witbooi Bible, it contrasts European institutions downplaying their role in extraction with African perspectives demanding honourable restitution.
42 minutes
This documentary examines European museums' complicated reckoning with artefacts acquired through colonial era violence and oppression. Spotlighting stories of stolen cultural treasures like the Benin Bronzes and Namibia's Witbooi Bible, it contrasts European institutions downplaying their role in extraction with African perspectives demanding honourable restitution.
BOYZ
She has been nominated for an Academy Award, two Grammy Awards, and the Mercury Prize
Returning colonial looted art to its countries of origin
DW Documentary, 2023
28 minutes
Colonial powers are beginning to return looted cultural artefacts to African countries, but new debates are arising around who the rightful owners are. Should items go to current nation-states or to the specific cultural groups they were taken from originally?
28 minutes
Colonial powers are beginning to return looted cultural artefacts to African countries, but new debates are arising around who the rightful owners are. Should items go to current nation-states or to the specific cultural groups they were taken from originally?
Reclaiming Africa's stolen treasures, and why it matters
DW News, 2022
16 minutes
This documentary investigates prominent African artefacts housed in European museums but increasingly contested as stolen heirlooms, from the famous Benin Bronzes to older treasures like the 20,000 year-old Ishango Bone. With activist perspectives urging immediate returns, it probes museums and governments on the urgent question - who rightfully owns Africa’s history?
16 minutes
This documentary investigates prominent African artefacts housed in European museums but increasingly contested as stolen heirlooms, from the famous Benin Bronzes to older treasures like the 20,000 year-old Ishango Bone. With activist perspectives urging immediate returns, it probes museums and governments on the urgent question - who rightfully owns Africa’s history?
BOYZ
She has been nominated for an Academy Award, two Grammy Awards, and the Mercury Prize
Should stolen African art be returned?
Al Jazeera Inside Story, 2021
25 minutes
In 2021, three European institutions gave back items stolen more than a century ago from Nigeria and Benin. Campaigners hope it's just the start, but others believe the artefacts should remain in Europe. So who's right?
25 minutes
In 2021, three European institutions gave back items stolen more than a century ago from Nigeria and Benin. Campaigners hope it's just the start, but others believe the artefacts should remain in Europe. So who's right?
Looted: Hunting Priceless Relics (Part 01)
Olive Faure, 2022
47 minutes
This documentary follows the trails of investigators across Cambodia, Thailand, London and New York as they build legal cases to repatriate ancient artifacts pillaged from Asia and displayed prominently in Western museums. Spotlighting the network of looters such as Douglas Latchford, who pillaged ancient sites across South East Asia, as well as dealers, and prestigious institutions profiting from sacred items ripped from their cultural contexts, it highlights the global movement fighting for honest provenance and just restitution of heritage.
47 minutes
This documentary follows the trails of investigators across Cambodia, Thailand, London and New York as they build legal cases to repatriate ancient artifacts pillaged from Asia and displayed prominently in Western museums. Spotlighting the network of looters such as Douglas Latchford, who pillaged ancient sites across South East Asia, as well as dealers, and prestigious institutions profiting from sacred items ripped from their cultural contexts, it highlights the global movement fighting for honest provenance and just restitution of heritage.
Looted: Hunting Priceless Relics (Part 02)
Olive Faure, 2022
46 minutes
This documentary follows social media activists across India, Nepal and China organising to pressure Western museums and auction houses to return stolen cultural heritage using investigative digital tactics. From a sacred statue in an Oxford museum to a contentious flask in a London auction, it spotlights the growing global movement of online grassroots advocates fighting for ethical provenance and repatriation of displaced artefacts.
46 minutes
This documentary follows social media activists across India, Nepal and China organising to pressure Western museums and auction houses to return stolen cultural heritage using investigative digital tactics. From a sacred statue in an Oxford museum to a contentious flask in a London auction, it spotlights the growing global movement of online grassroots advocates fighting for ethical provenance and repatriation of displaced artefacts.
BOYZ
She has been nominated for an Academy Award, two Grammy Awards, and the Mercury Prize
Black Market's Masquerade - Ancient African Art
Peter Heller, 2015
52 minutes
2015 documentary that explores the African art world, contrasting Western collectors who accept the violent extraction of artefacts as inevitable with voices calling for ethical practices and repatriation of cultural heritage.
News and Debates
BOYZ
She has been nominated for an Academy Award, two Grammy Awards, and the Mercury Prize
77 Street Debate: Africa's stolen art
DW 77 Street Debate, 2021
16 minutes
The Benin bronzes are the most well-known African artefacts, looted during colonial times from the Kingdom of Benin. Today they are scattered across museums in Europe and the US. Deutsche Welle’s 77 Percent Street Debate visited Cologne, Germany to discuss what will happen to Africa's stolen art.
16 minutes
The Benin bronzes are the most well-known African artefacts, looted during colonial times from the Kingdom of Benin. Today they are scattered across museums in Europe and the US. Deutsche Welle’s 77 Percent Street Debate visited Cologne, Germany to discuss what will happen to Africa's stolen art.
The British Museum is full of stolen artefacts
Vox, 2020
9 minutes
This documentary investigates the British Museum's extensive collection of cultural artefacts and treasures appropriated during Britain's imperial rule - from the Benin Bronzes looted in a 1897 raid to countless antiquities extracted from colonised nations. As demands escalate for repatriation and honest reckoning with the lasting impacts of colonial violence, it confronts the museum’s complex task of making amends amid a global racial justice reckoning.
9 minutes
This documentary investigates the British Museum's extensive collection of cultural artefacts and treasures appropriated during Britain's imperial rule - from the Benin Bronzes looted in a 1897 raid to countless antiquities extracted from colonised nations. As demands escalate for repatriation and honest reckoning with the lasting impacts of colonial violence, it confronts the museum’s complex task of making amends amid a global racial justice reckoning.
The Debate Over Europe’s Stolen African Art
The Daily Show, 2018
5 minutes
French president Emmanuel Macron thinks Europe should give African nations their art back, but other Europeans are less than enthused. The Daily Show's Trevor Noah takes on the debate.
5 minutes
French president Emmanuel Macron thinks Europe should give African nations their art back, but other Europeans are less than enthused. The Daily Show's Trevor Noah takes on the debate.
Museum works to repatriate artefacts looted from West Africa
PBS NewsHour, 2022
8 minutes
As a debate over how and when to repatriate art continues to roil, one clear-cut case of looting in the 19th century has art leaders taking strong stands now. Jeffrey Brown went to look at a museum that is confronting the controversial origins of its collection.
8 minutes
As a debate over how and when to repatriate art continues to roil, one clear-cut case of looting in the 19th century has art leaders taking strong stands now. Jeffrey Brown went to look at a museum that is confronting the controversial origins of its collection.
Nigeria sends formal letter to British Museum demanding return of looted Benin Bronzes
Channel 4 News, 2021
3 minutes
A Nigerian delegation has formally demanded the British Museum return the Benin Bronzes. While some countries like France and Germany have agreed to repatriate Benin Bronzes looted by the British over a century ago, the British Museum so far has not. As one of the largest holders of the bronzes, pressure is mounting on them.
3 minutes
A Nigerian delegation has formally demanded the British Museum return the Benin Bronzes. While some countries like France and Germany have agreed to repatriate Benin Bronzes looted by the British over a century ago, the British Museum so far has not. As one of the largest holders of the bronzes, pressure is mounting on them.
Meet Mwazulu Diyabanza, Congolese activist drawing attention to looted African art through an unconventional method
ABC News, 2022
5 minutes
ABC News (USA) reports on the efforts of activists like Mwuazulu Diyabanza, who has walked into European museums attempting to take back art and artefacts looted from African nations.
5 minutes
ABC News (USA) reports on the efforts of activists like Mwuazulu Diyabanza, who has walked into European museums attempting to take back art and artefacts looted from African nations.
Art repatriation: Where do African treasures belong?
France 24, 2019
7 minutes
This France 24 interview conducted in 2019 captures the circular debates that unfolded in France as French museums grappled with the landmark report urging them to return African artefacts looted under colonial rule. It features the rather defensive perspectives of a French museum curator discussing the complexities around reforming long-standing cultural heritage institutions and repatriation policies. Where do African treasures belong? “It's OK to send them to Africa, but they must return to the French museums where they belong,” the curator concludes.
7 minutes
This France 24 interview conducted in 2019 captures the circular debates that unfolded in France as French museums grappled with the landmark report urging them to return African artefacts looted under colonial rule. It features the rather defensive perspectives of a French museum curator discussing the complexities around reforming long-standing cultural heritage institutions and repatriation policies. Where do African treasures belong? “It's OK to send them to Africa, but they must return to the French museums where they belong,” the curator concludes.