A 12 Year Documentary Bond

For more than two decades, Olivier Jobard has explored migration through long term relationships with the people at its centre. He treats time as a working tool, renewing his perspective with each project and allowing complex realities to unfold in honest detail. In this talk, he traces the origins of his exhibition Our Afghan Family: Memories of a Life Gone By. The story begins in Paris in 2012, when he met thirteen year old Ghorban, who had arrived in France clandestinely. Their eight year journey in photographs and film forged trust and responsibility, with Olivier becoming a steady adult presence in Ghorban’s life. A decade later, after the Taliban returned to power, Ghorban helped his sisters Sima and Aziza reach France. Olivier supported their resettlement and resumed his work, now from within his own extended family, documenting migration through the intimate lens of kinship.

What you will take away:
• A practical understanding of slow journalism methods that build access, trust, and depth over time
• Ethical approaches to documenting migration, including consent, safeguarding, and responsible collaboration
• Narrative techniques for turning personal histories into clear, powerful visual stories that inform public understanding

Who this is for:
• Photojournalists, filmmakers, and editors seeking durable field practices for long form reporting
• Educators and students interested in migration, social documentary, and visual ethics
• Curators, programme leads, and advocates who use human centred storytelling to shape dialogue and policy