The Yemeni island of Socotra, rising from the Indian Ocean, feels like another world: dragon blood trees found nowhere else on Earth, folk legends, and landscapes of prehistoric beauty. Within this UNESCO-protected biosphere lives Abdullah Al-Salim Ellai – better known as Abdullah the Caveman.
Born and raised in a coastal cave, Ellai’s life is deeply bound to the Detwah Lagoon. He carries a “memory-map” of its tides, its fish, and its stories – knowledge passed down for generations.
Italian director Ivan Olita traveled to Socotra in search of a story and found it in Ellai. His short documentary Man of the Cave portrays a man suspended between two worlds: While his wife and family have moved to the city, Ellai remains drawn to his cave, living by the resources of nature and, increasingly, by the attention brought through tourism.
Today, Ellai navigates the ancient rhythms of land and sea, while simultaneously being shaped by the gaze of social media. His existence is both authentic and mediated, rooted in tradition yet adapted to survive in the modern world.
👉 Man of the Cave invites us to reflect on authenticity, transformation, and the delicate balance between timeless ways of living and contemporary visibility.