GREENFIELD — An Oscar-shortlist documentary, co-produced by a Greenfield High School alumna, will be screened exclusively at the Garden Cinemas on Saturday.

“Descendant,” co-produced by Essie Chambers, will be shown at 3 p.m. at the theater on Main Street. A question-and-answer session with Chambers will follow.

The film, which began streaming on Netflix in October 2022, follows the descendants of enslaved Africans on an illegal ship that arrived in Alabama in 1860. As confirmed by marine archeologists, the ship is the last known slave ship to illegally transport human beings as cargo from Africa to America.

The documentary has been screened at film festivals all over the world. Barack and Michelle Obama’s production company Higher Ground Productions has also signed on to present the film.

Chambers, who currently resides in Brooklyn, previously said the film aims to tell a story not typically taught in history books.

“[Their story] is not taught in most history books,” she said in advance of a Netflix viewing of the movie last October during the Anti-Racism Film Festival, hosted each year by the Social Justice Committee at All Souls Church. “It’s kind of a story … that, in a lot of ways, mirrors what is happening in a lot of Black communities.”

According to a Garden Cinemas statement, Greenfield High School teacher Tara Cloutier reached out to theater co-owner Angela Mass, who teaches math at the high school, with the idea of bringing the film to Greenfield.

“We love celebrating alumni,” Mass said.

The theater worked with Chambers and Netflix to get the rights to show the film, which did not have a theatrical release outside its Oscar-qualifying run. Originally, the theater wanted to show the film in February for Black History Month, but Chambers’ Oscar promotion schedule would not allow it, so the theater agreed to show the film in March.

“The way we see it is that every month should be Black History Month,” said theater co-owner Isaac Mass.

Chambers will also appear at Greenfield High School for a school assembly with students and faculty on Friday.

“Descendant” was the winner of the Sundance U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Creative Vision as well as the Critic’s Choice Award for Best Documentary. It’s also listed by the National Board of Review as one of the top 10 documentaries of 2022.

Reporter Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. Twitter: @MaryEByrne.

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