BBC Africa Eye’s Homecoming screening at the University of Oxford – Reclaiming memory and belonging through documentary:

Moderator and point of contact: Peter Brooke- MSc African Studies Course Director; Departmental Lecturer in African Studies
Panelists: Nathalie Jimenez and Nour Abida

Event description:
BBC Africa Eye’s The Homecoming explores how marginalised communities in France are grappling with rising nationalism, police violence, and deepening social tensions- challenges that echo far beyond the country’s borders. The documentary follows young French people of African descent as they turn to Senegal, searching for what they see as a better life- a reversal of the migration their parents made decades earlier. Along the way, it captures the struggles of rebuilding in an unfamiliar land, caught between two worlds- one they left behind and one they are hoping to call home.

Following the screening, filmmaker Nathalie Jimenez and presenter Nour Abida will discuss the social science themes raised in the film – including memory, identity, belonging,the discussion will consider how narratives of homecoming are shaped, transmitted, and experienced across generations in a conversation moderated by Peter Brooke, University of Oxford African Studies Course Director.

Questions:
What inspired you to make The Homecoming, and how did you choose which stories to include?
What does The Homecoming help us understand about people living in the diaspora and the challenges or politics involved in returning? (The film highlights generational differences in attitude towards moving back to Senegal. How do you think identity evolves across generations?)
In the film, how is the idea of “home” shown — not just as a place, but as something deeper or more symbolic?
How does The Homecoming explore the concept of “home” as both a physical and symbolic space?
What does the film suggest about the meaning of land — is it symbolic, ancestral, material?
What kinds of responses has the documentary generated in different contexts?

Bios:
Nathalie Jimenez is a young, Emmy-nominated field producer covering the Americas for BBC News. Raised across continents and fluent in over five languages, she brings a global perspective to high-impact storytelling, leading multimedia productions on the ground from the Middle East to South America and West Africa. The Homecoming is Nathalie Jimenez’s debut feature-length film, deeply influenced by her own experiences growing up in Europe. The project embodies her commitment to uncovering untold stories—moving beyond traditional reporting to craft immersive, human-centered narratives that resonate across borders.

Nour Abida is an accomplished multilingual journalist and reporter with extensive experience across digital, TV, and radio. Known for her investigative depth as a reporter for BBC’s investigative unit, BBC Africa Eye, Nour has reported on complex stories and conducted interviews with high-profile figures such as Lady Gaga, Thimothée Chalamet, Zendaya, and Daniel Kaluuya. With expertise in international news, particularly Africa, she has produced impactful stories, reaching hundreds of thousands of viewers. Through her work as a reporter, Nour specialises in producing high-quality content and crafting effective social media strategies to engage young female audiences.