Kevin Osepa

Watamula is the destination of René, who rises from a river to continue his journey across the island, stumbling. He encounters sharp thorns and sweet rose petals, rejection and comfort, and clings to his amulet.

Fisherman Rowin hardly catches enough fish to make ends meet. But when he meets a mysterious man at his regular fishing spot, his life seems to take a radical turn.

Directed by Kevin Osepa, this 25-minute film from the National Dutch Ballet grapples with the irony of being on hold and restricted, and yet unexpectedly finding space to think bigger than before. Thirteen dancers move through six key scenes throughout the opera house, creating striking shapes and group architecture. In one, Black poet Roziena Salihu, surrounded by white dancers, speaks powerfully about the experience of being marginalized, and how she’ll no longer accept it.