Ascension

In 1725, Leendert Hasenbosch was marooned on Ascension Island, having been found guilty of the crime of sodomy while aboard a ship. Struggling to survive against the island’s harsh terrain, he documented his growing isolation and descent into madness through haunting diary entries. Against the backdrop of his life in Holland as a boy and his global travels leading up to his eventual death at the age of 30, Ascension explores the enduring struggle for acceptance, love, and survival. It tells a heart-rending story of queer identity from centuries ago that can be felt just as keenly today.