In interviews with petrol experts, Big Oil advisers, geologists, politicians, and others, directors Gelpke and McCormack tackle the myriad problems and calamities arising from one troubling fact: the Earth is running out of oil. Weaning ourselves from fossil fuels will be the biggest challenge facing humanity over the next 20 years, and this harrowing film demonstrates why.

Is petroleum the "excrement of the devil" or the "black lifeblood of the earth"? Both actually, according to this gripping and ultimately, very frightening documentary on the coming oil shortage. Gelpke and McCormack's project here is to show us exactly how dependent we've become on oil, gas, plastics, and other petrol products, and why we're advancing toward peak production. Most disturbingly, their knowledgeable talking heads explain why resource wars are in our near future as demand increases exponentially. This is "A Crude Awakening" indeed, and essential viewing, no matter your politics.