Rochelle Newman

(She/Her)

Rochelle’s breakthrough project is the documentary film White Nanny Black Child.

There’s a deep sense of reflection and mental healing in Rochelle Newman’s BAFTA-winning documentary, White Nanny Black Child (2023, Channel 5). The experiences of nine adults, who were uprooted from their West African homes to be fostered by white British families between 1955 and 1995, are told at a therapeutic retreat. This is not a soft-touch documentary, instead it captures the same kind of raw, emotional storytelling as Paul Hammond’s Fourteen Days in May (1987), the documentary that originally inspired Rochelle to pursue her own industry journey while in her final year at university.

Rochelle’s other recent work includes ITV’s Handle with Care (2022), exploring Nigerian-born actor and presenter Jimmy Akingbola’s story of being privately fostered by a white British family from the age of two. She also produced and directed Jazmine and Amaya (2022), made for the BBC’s My Life series, about one girl’s love for her sister, who has a rare chromosome condition.

Raising awareness of such vital issues, which spark meaningful dialogue and have a positive social impact, is the driving force that compels Rochelle forwards.

In their own words…

“The last two years have been quite amazing. I feel like my efforts of wanting to tell amazing stories has really shone through… I’d like to get support for producing and directing my own films, to reach out to more commissioners and build my career. I want to do stories that I want to tell within the documentary sphere… I want to direct more films, both behind the camera and in front of it, reporting on untold stories from all around the world. I want to get in with these communities and share their stories.”