The trailer for the new Netflix documentary Descendant has been released on the platform. The two-minute twenty-seven-second long footage explores Clotilda, the last known ship responsible for smuggling stolen Africans to America.
The documentary is directed by Margaret Brown and won the Special Jury award for creative vision at the Sundance film festival.
Descendant Trailer Breakdown
The trailer starts off with a voiceover from an Africatown resident, who talks about his ancestors and the will to communicate with them. He explains that his father wanted him to never lose the connection, as it is something sacred in their history.
We can see the visuals of tombstones, with the markings of ‘Last Survivor Slave Ship Clotilda’ on them. Furthermore, the trailer gives more historical context by mentioning the name Timothy Mayer.
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After the abolishment of slavery, Mayer made a bet that he can still smuggle Africans to America. However, his ship was burned after the act, to conceal any evidence whatsoever.
Two other residents of Africatown explain that they tried to erase the crime by destroying the ships. And this is why it was never in the history books.
It is revealed that the Mayer family lied about the whereabouts of the ship, to mislead the people. However, the official clip makes a strong point that the narrative shouldn’t be about the ship alone.
The official trailer moves forward and provides a historical background of Africatown. It briefs about the thriving history of the place which is now endangered by chemical industries.
A resident makes a shark remark and points out the irony of living on a historical land and breathing chemical fumes.
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We can see the black and white clips of Slavery induced crimes. Which gives a detailed depiction of how those people were deprived of their own history. Now, the residents only wish to not let it repeat itself.
The trailer then shifts to a tone of hope and persistence. Where each resident wants to be a part of the future, not the bleak past. Eventually, they are on the land of their ancestors and want a story of struggle and hardship to be told.
Watch The Trailer for Descendant Below
The documentary will be available to stream on Netflix, from October 21, 2022. Tell us how you resonated with the trailer in the comment section below.
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