Television Maker Follows Family for Eleven Years in New Documentary Series
Television maker Lidewij Nuitten spent eleven years documenting the lives of her Brussels neighbor Lamia and her three children, resulting in a new multi-part series titled We will all go to heaven, as reported by vrt.be. The project began in 2015 when Nuitten filmed residents of her street for the VRT 1 program Everyone Famous. After forming a lasting bond with Lamia, then 38, and her young children Mehdi, Meissa, and Zaher, the filmmaker decided to continue rolling cameras until the summer of 2026, capturing the family as the youngest child reached adulthood.
From Street-Level Neighbors to a Decade-Long Chronicle
What started as a brief television segment evolved into a comprehensive coming-of-age chronicle examining urban life in Schaerbeek. According to BRUZZ, Nuitten captured how the neighborhood changed over a decade alongside the children’s growth. Mother Lamia worked to support Mehdi, Meissa, and Zaher through personal setbacks and societal pressures. The documentary pairs moments of domestic humor with the heavy impact of external crises, including the 2016 Brussels terrorist attacks, the COVID-19 pandemic, and geopolitical conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza.
Shifting Realities of Violence and Diversity in the Capital
The series addresses the evolution of street safety in Brussels over the ten-year filming window. Lamia voiced anxiety during her children’s teenage years as drug-related crime and weapon use increased. BRUZZ noted that while street fights a decade ago involved physical fists, knives became common among fourteen- and fifteen-year-olds. Lamia attempted to raise her children with pacifist values, creating a central tension within the documentary’s final episodes as the family confronted urban violence.
VRT Canvas Premieres Series on October 20
The first episode of We will all go to heaven premieres on Tuesday, October 20, at 21:25, airing on VRT Canvas and streaming on VRT MAX, as detailed by TVvisie. Across multiple episodes, the project examines the universal aspects of human connection against the backdrop of a diverse, changing European capital, contrasting heavy social issues like discrimination and inequality with familial resilience and hope.
Who Appears in We Will All Go to Heaven?
When did Lidewij Nuitten start filming the family?
Nuitten first met Lamia and her children in 2015 while shooting a segment for the VRT 1 program Everyone Famous featuring the residents of her street.
Which family members are featured in the documentary?
The series follows single mother Lamia and her three children, Mehdi, Meissa, and Zaher, tracking their lives over an eleven-year span until the youngest reaches adulthood.
Where can viewers watch We will all go to heaven?
The documentary series broadcasts on VRT Canvas and is available for streaming on VRT MAX starting October 20.
Worth a look