'Descendant' A Review

Descendant is a documentary about the community of Africatown in Mobile, AL and its members who are descendants of the survivors from the last slave ship, the Clotilda, illegally brought to the US a couple years prior to emancipation. Through interviews, archival footage, and fly-on-the-wall footage the film explores the community of Africatown, the lives of the descendants, the search for the Clotilda, and the history that comes to light.

Beautifully shot, the richness of the region is on display, with some shots of the landscape underscored by narration from Barracoon by Zora Neale Hurston, this is juxtaposed with the ugly industry that surrounds(and pollutes) Africatown mostly owned and leased by the Meaher family, themselves decsendenats of the owner of the Clotilda. Drawing a direct line not only from the direct subjugation of slavery to it's modern day more implicit variety by land encroachment and community erosion(both economic and overall health) but the economic ramifications. With the illegal sale and use of the slaves captured by the Clotilda the Meaher family directly benefited and most likely purchased(or maintained) the plots of land surrounding Africatown which they then leveraged for the greatest profit knowing it would have detrimental affects of Africatown residents. The cause-and-effect of history is crystal clear, the racism and avarice made plain.

Aside from the history, which is both moving and heartbreaking, the real strength and beauty of the film is the descendants themselves. The film is mostly about them, they are on screen most of the runtime, and although the search for the Clotilda is a part of it, it is secondary to simply honoring this community and relating its stories.

It's a fascinating, inspiring film, full of complex themes- racism, class, history, American society, the South, community, perseverance, culture. It's incredibly rich(a reflection of the community it depicts). About suffering, survival, and grace. A microcosm of humanity.

Currently streaming on Netflix.

Don't Miss It.