On April 17, Beyoncé released her concert documentary “Homecoming,” a full-length recording of her 2018 Coachella performance—the first time an African-American woman headlined the music festival—of the same name, on Netflix. In conjunction with the release of the film, she also released a companion album featuring all the music and commentary from the film. “Homecoming” pays homage to African-American culture and the traditions of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

The anticipation surrounding this film for the BeyHive—Beyoncé’s fans—has been mounting ever since it was discovered that this project was in the works. Not only does it allow fans and stans alike to relive the phenomenon also known as “Beychella,” but it gives viewers a sneak peek into Beyoncé’s life not only as a performer, but as a mother as well. The documentary also enables watchers to further understand the vision for the Coachella performance and what it took to make it the spectacle that it was.

For those who do not remember the Coachella performance, the film makes it so you cannot forget again, and it makes sure that viewers know what it was about. Every aspect of Black culture and the Black college experience at an HBCU is put on the stage and immortalized in film at a historically white venue. The performance and subsequently the film, showcase Black excellence in all forms, through music, performance, dance and fashion.

Through behind-the-scenes footage of the eight-month rehearsal process, the interviews that were conducted and the meetings between Beyoncé and her creative team to create the ultimate HBCU homecoming experience it is obvious what she means in the film when she says, “the amount of swag [on this stage] is limitless.” The performance highlighted the talents of an all-Black orchestra, band, drum line, background dancers, singers and steppers. The attention to detail in creating the nuances of the HBCU and Black experience via the performance aspects of a concert are brilliantly captured in the film.

Beyoncé, who mentions in the film that she wanted to go to an HBCU and was unable to because of the success and touring commitments of Destiny’s Child, made this concert her homecoming. It was her first time performing after she gave birth to her twins, and, while in 2018, we just saw the polished, finished product that the concert presented to us. The film allows us to see the struggles that come with working to get your body back to its previous condition. She also reveals some of the deeper complications with her pregnancy. These behind-the-scenes snippets are spliced in between the footage of her strutting across stage in five-inch high heeled boots as she dances and sings.

We also see Beyoncé as a mother. While the singer is very open about her role as a mother to her three children, “Homecoming” grants a deeper look into her life as a mother and performer.

This film is more than a concert film. It is an ode to Blackness and the Black experience, as quotes from prominent Black thinkers are displayed on screen throughout, setting the tone for the next behind-the-scenes moment and performance segment. It showcases the beauty that is interwoven in African-American culture and the beauty of Black people in an arena where it is not shown and rarely experienced.