An otherworldly, pre-historic landscape, rising from the Indian Ocean, the Yemeni island of Socotra is home to life that exists nowhere else on Earth, folk stories tied to the Dragon Blood Tree, and farmers who live by ancient rhythms. Born and raised in a cave on the UNESCO-protected island’s coast, Abdullah Al-Salim Ellai – also known as Abdullah the Caveman – has gained notoriety as one of the world’s last true cave-dwellers, living and existing within the tight radius of his cave, and the pristine beauty of the Detwah Lagoon.

Travelling to Socotra in search of a story, yet unsure where the journey would take him, director Ivan Olita was guided towards Ellai by connections made along the way, capturing his world for the short documentary Man of the Cave. While his wife and family have moved to the city, Ellai finds himself drawn back to the cave, living through the natural landscape and its resources – mapped from memories and a deep knowledge of the tides, fish, and rhythm of the lagoon.

Recognizing his rising online profile and making a living through tourism, Ellai now maintains the reality he was born into under the watchful gaze of social media – at once, living in dialogue with the ancient patterns of land and sea, while finding a source of income in modern-day media attention.