Jenifer Zuggóis studying at our English Visual Representation BA program, Film and Media specialization. 

As we have mentioned previously that some of our fellow students are taking part in “Looking China 2019 project”. It’s an honour for us that one of our students Jenifer Zuggó won 3^rd place with her amazing work at the 2019 Looking China Golden lenses awards. She made a lyrical documentary about the relation between the bridges in Zhuhai and its citizens. Her mentors were Diana Groó DLA, Marianne Miklós HSE and FranciscoGózon.

"In retrospect, I feel like this was an immense opportunity and I was trying to get the most out of the situation, I worked full steam." 

Our interview with Jenifer

What does this award mean to you?

This is my first real prize and winning it in China is special to me. This is the greatest recognition of my film and the amount of effort and work behind it. I am very proud and very happy.

Could you tell us briefly what were the main stages of the creative process and the challenges you faced until you got there?

We received the themes in March 2019. I've been working on it a lot from home, and I've been thinking a lot about what kind of movie I want to make. More than 100 students from all over the World were invited to the China “Looking China 2019” program. Our group in Zhuhai consisted of 10 people and everyone had to choose a theme and make the film alone with the help of a Chinese organizer. 

We travelled to China in April, and it turned out that all my plans had to be revised because everything was different on the spot. This made it harder for everyone who participated as creators. I was inspired by the bridges and during the shooting, I managed to put my concept together. So, it was 5 days of filming and 5 days of editing. I made the entire script, directed it and edited everything in these 10 days’ time.  In the end, they organized a screening where we could watch all the films, with the producers, teachers, organizers and then we returned back to Hungary. Now I am nominating my film to various festivals.

What are you currently working on?

Now I'm writing a script for my diploma film, the next major milestone that will mark the end of my three years of university. Also, I am working in different productions as an assistant.

Are you planning to travel to China again?

It would be really great to visit it again as it’s a really nice and an interesting place. It was a good chapter of my professional life, besides I already miss some of their interesting foods and drinks. I would also be glad to meet those people who helped my film be realized.

 

This was for the third time that METU has joined the “Looking China project” at the invitation of the Academy for International Communication of Chinese Culture (AICCC) and Beijing Normal University (BNU). In 2019, along with Jenifer, ZsófiaGéczi and Dániel Bódis travelled to Zhuhai for 17 days, and they were selected by our Head of the Motion Picture Department as part of an internal competition. 

Students made 10-minute documentaries keeping in mind the central slogans of this year's call, "Moments, Season, Times." 

In connection with this program, in September, the director of the Looking China Youth Film Project,Dr. Rebecca Yang Zhuofan, additional guests from the AICCC, and professors from Beijing Normal University came to METU's Rottenbiller Street campus for a visit. The founder of Looking China, Huang Huilin, also paid tribute at the event.

2019. 12. 13.