Private Project

Coming Home

Something unexpected happens in Isis’ life - she’s being called back to her homeland Nigeria, to become a princess. Will it give her a renewed purpose in her life that she’s been missing?

  • Anna Katherina Piltz
    Director
    Oddiseefilms
  • Annikki Heinemann
    Director
    Oddiseefilms
  • Peta Jenkin
    Producer
    Vice
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Genres:
    Documentary, Women, Black
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 11 minutes 47 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    April 1, 2017
  • Production Budget:
    50,000 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Germany
  • Country of Filming:
    Germany, Nigeria
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Anna Katherina Piltz, Annikki Heinemann

Anna Piltz grew up in Berlin and studied cultural studies with a specialization in documentary film at FH Potsdam. She founded the production company Oddiseefilms in 2010, with Annikki Heinemann. They have made a number of documentaries for TV, as well as the internet. In 2015 Anna won the "Grimme-Spezialpreis Kultur des Landes" (Grimme Special Award for Culture) for her co-production with Peter Göltenboth for the film "10 Wochen Sommer".

Born and raised in Berlin, Annikki Heinemann studied cultural studies with a specialization in documentary film at FH Potsdam. Together with Anna Piltz, she formed the production company Oddiseefilms in 2010. They have made a number of documentaries for TV, as well as the internet.

Peta Jenkin is a Berlin-based Australian producer and director. She has directed numerous short format documentaries for Vice TV, shooting internationally on a range of topics from technology, politics, music and lifestyle. 'Coming Home' is her first long format documentary.

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Director Statement

Isis' return home to Nigeria represents a classic back to the roots story, but with a twist - she finds herself completely at odds with her own culture. Moving to Canada when she was 2, she was raised with Western values. Ending up in Berlin in her late twenties was in part to release her from any family ties, but came at a price - loneliness, and struggling as an outsider. When we started filming in Berlin Isis was at a real low point. She maintained a professional distance in interviews, making it difficult to get a genuine insight into her relationship with her family. Isis was on a regular dosage of ADHD medication, which calmed her anxiety, as well as marijuana. When the phone call came that she was to be flown back to Nigeria, she was excited but very nervous that she wouldn't cope. And exactly what the role of 'Princess' actually meant was kept vague by Isis's mother, also to us as the Directors. We had no idea what was in store.
Although Isis enjoyed seeing Nigeria really for the first time, she struggled with her preconceived "Western" notions of life. One one hand she was trying to please her parents, on the other hand completely rejecting the traditions and role forced onto her. Isis' aggressive and egotistical behaviour threatened to upend the whole premise, but it was this strength of character that eventually gave the storyline all the drama it needed to make what we think is a riveting film.