Throughout history, Black communities have had a treacherous relationship with water, depicted as a powerful yet destructive entity by African folklore. This is a story never told before, but necessary now more than ever: a modern day tale of the Black Mermaid, Zandile Ndhlovu, who is changing the perception of the ocean in her community since 2016, when she overcame her fears and fell in love with freediving. 

Following Zandile’s expedition to see the Sardine Run, this intimate story shows us the danger of incomplete narratives, particularly around Black people and water; unpacking the challenges faced by minorities, who are living one step away from the ocean but often excluded from enjoying its natural wonders. Meanwhile Zandile’s grandmother and a skipper named Rob, who has traversed the ocean for the past 20 years, offer their view on who the ocean is for and what happens when one person decides to take the matter into their own hands.