Madulu, The Seaman

Synopsis

Madulu, The Seaman follows the relationship between Tall12, one of Barrouallie’s last traditional whalers, and his grandson, Omari. As Tall12 shares stories of his life’s work with Omari, the film expands into the broader history of whaling in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines—a practice that was born of colonial histories, and transformed into an essential part of Vincentian identity and livelihood. Director Akley Olton crafts a nuanced meditation on intergenerational exchange, revealing how the legacies of colonialism continue to rupture relationships and disrupt the transmission of knowledge. Olton also reveals the tensions between traditional whaling and the tourist industry, as international visitors condemn the practice with little regard for its cultural meanings or role in subsistence. Madulu, The Seaman shows how Vincentians creatively negotiate these tensions, finding inventive ways to safeguard their cultural traditions and assert their food sovereignty. 

Director Bio

Akley Olton is an acclaimed filmmaker, visual artist, and creative consultant with a focus on high-end film, audiovisual, and multimedia productions. His journey in visual arts began in high school, advancing through filmmaking studies at UWI in Barbados and the International School of Film and Television (EICTV) in Cuba, complemented by workshops and internships worldwide. Akley’s creative consultancy, Island Rebel Media, translates complex ideas into visuals, emphasizing themes like resistance and the transformative power of art while actively involving clients in the creative process. With over a decade in the industry, his work spans diverse mediums, including cinema, web, broadcast, and VR, all rooted deeply in the stories of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, which continue to inspire his artistic endeavors.

Distribution

The Criterion Channel
Contact: orders@criterion.com  

 

When you live on an island, sometimes you get so caught up in the reality of surviving that you don’t really have space to reflect on who you are. But these kinds of reflections are important in how they allow community to grow, and how they foster individuals to develop better relationships with themselves, with others in their community, and with the world.