Netflix acquires Descendant doc
January 31, 2022
Netflix has acquired worldwide rights to Participant’s feature documentary Descendant. Higher Ground, President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s production company, will present the film, alongside Netflix.
Descendant follows members of Africatown, a small community in Alabama, as they share their personal stories and community history as descendants of the Clotilda, the last known slave ship to illegally transport human beings as cargo from Africa to America. The ship’s existence, a centuries-old open secret, is confirmed by a team of marine archeologists. The film explores implications of the Clotilda’s discovery for the descendants, who grapple with their heritage while claiming the power to shape their own destinies.
Director Margaret Brown commented: “I have been humbled and honoured to spend four years with the residents of Africatown as they seek justice and reconciliation for what happened in 1860, and what is still happening today. I am excited that through Netflix and Higher Ground’s global reach, audiences around the world will learn this powerful history.”