SXSW Film Review: Descendant

The Clotilda, the last known slave ship, illegally carried enslaved Africans to the shores of Mobile, Ala. just before the Civil War. Attempting to erase the evidence, Captain William Foster burned and sank the ship.

AfricaTown, a historic community on the outskirts of Mobile, exists as the home for generations of Clotilda's passengers’ descendants. But the residents of AfricaTown kept their remarkable identity a secret, for fear of making themselves a greater target for white supremacists. Director Margaret Brown’s intimate, informative documentary, Descendant, gives voice to AfricaTown’s people, uninhibited for the first time. At the film’s outset, many of the subjects describe a burdening sense of incompleteness, a longing to understand the entirety of their ancestors’ experience, to touch the remains of the ship. After the excavation of The Clotilda in 2019, descendants delighted in feeling they had finally closed a historic circle.

Major factories surround present-day AfricaTown, threatening the landmark’s livelihood with pollution and chemicals. Brown tackles zoning as her film’s political context.

Brown thoughtfully tells not only the story of The Clotilda’s discovery, but also the story of human perseverance and survival. Fierce family unity underscores each account from the AfricaTown residents, creating an almost poetic sensation on screen.

One shortcoming is Descendant’s lack of a central character. The various perspectives were moving individually, but the movie might have felt more comprehensive and compelling if driven by a single person. Rich community and uncovered history still make this documentary a must-see.

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Descendant

Festival Favorites, Texas Premiere
Friday, March 18, 6pm, AFS Cinema