Roots and Plates : A Story Of Afro Food In Belgium

17 February 2025. Under the direction of Will Anderson and with the sound recording of Mila Jones, Roger  Dushime - Brussels-based social media and culinary content creator dedicated to promoting Afro-descendant cuisines - met around twenty personalities from the Afro Food scene in French-speaking Belgium. Each of them shares their vision and story on the history and evolution of this cuisine. 

The film offers an original approach to Afro-Belgian identities, exploring the theme of Afro-food and encouraging the public to discover or rediscover these flavors.

The idea came to him from his personal experience. Since childhood, he has been passionate about African cuisine. Very quickly, he launched himself on social networks, particularly Instagram, where he made many videos with the help of his friend Will Anderson, a videographer. But he felt that his filming lacked context and that it was too individual. Hence his desire to go further by making a film integrating different participants. In the documentary, the camera follows Roger Dushime who goes to meet several interlocutors (some of whom are behind the stoves) as passionate as he is about African cuisine (afro-food).

Blindly

It was somewhat by chance that Roger Dushime and his childhood friend (Will Anderson) responded to a call for projects "A Nous l'Histoire" initiated by the FPS Justice. The documentary benefited from the support of other organizations (Africalia, A nous l'histoire, Cassonade, etc.). Once selected, they began producing the report. The collaboration is based on mutual trust, allowing everyone to contribute to the project. “Will brings a unique perspective, an aesthetic, and I bring my passion and knowledge for African food,” says the author of “Roots and Plates: A Story Of Afro Food In Belgium.”

The duo is accompanied on their journey by Mila Jones, a sound engineer. "The process was long to arrive at the final result," confides Roger Dushime. Without any expertise in production, the two friends went into it blindly. The author explains that each step had its share of adventures. Moreover, they were joined by the sound engineer, Mila Jones, who helped them in the production of the documentary and for the recording in general.

The selection of speakers and filming locations was not an easy task. Indeed, the selection was made through his acquaintances. He had identified several people in his network. The rest were recommendations that were made to him. "It was 50/50," he continues.

Picture: Dr Sarah O Neill of Diaspofood research project ULB, Maureen Duru of the Foodbridge and Francois Stepman of GFAiR, at the premiere of the documentary Roots and Plates.

Filming in Belgium and Africa

"We had to juggle everyone's schedules. As a result, some interview appointments fell through during the filming period from April to November 2024. The interviews were conducted in Belgium (Brussels, Liège, Huy, Tervuren, Namur, Louvain-la-Neuve, Vlezenbeek) and in Africa (Cotonou in Benin)."

Beyond the discovery of African cuisines, Roger Dushime also wants to show beauty and love through his film. There is in particular the beauty of the filming locations. According to its author, the documentary tells a certain aesthetic of French-speaking Belgium. Then, there is the love for an African culture and cuisine. During the documentary of more than 40 minutes, the three directors share a passion, encounters and slices of life. "Roots and Plates: A story of afro food in Belgium" is part of the 2015-2024 Decade for People of African Descent proclaimed by the UN.

And after?

After the preview on Monday, February 17 in Brussels, nothing has yet been planned for the rest of the documentary's broadcast. Roger Dushime is first waiting for feedback before planning anything. "We go by gut feeling," he smiles.

He mentions several alternatives, including collaborations with associations for broadcasting to their audiences, putting it online on a streaming platform or even broadcasting in a cinema in Liège. He is also open to broadcasting it on TV if someone comes knocking on the door. "After the broadcast, in the six months that follow, we will try to broadcast it as much as possible," concludes the author of "Roots and Plates: A Story Of Afro Food In Belgium."