Zoe Wittock (EICAR graduate, 2008) recounts her journey: from school to international festivals
EICAR welcomed Belgian director and screenwriter Zoé Wittock, an EICAR graduate from 2008, to its Paris campus for an evening combining a film screening and a masterclass.
This alumni event centered around the screening of Jumbo, a Belgian-French-Luxembourgish drama selected for Sundance in 2020. The film, subtitled in English, was presented in the presence of its director, leading to an in-depth discussion about its creation and her career.
From school to international festivals
Zoe Wittock embodies the international dimension of the school's alumni network. Her career, marked by the writing and production of unique projects, illustrates the ability of graduates to bring ambitious works beyond borders.
With Jumbo, her first feature film, she has created a daring movie that was selected for the 2020 Sundance Film Festival in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition category, a major recognition for a debut film. Screened at numerous international festivals, the feature film has been praised for its originality, its direction, and the performances of its actors, helping to establish Zoé Wittock as a unique voice in contemporary European cinema.
Zoe Wittock discussed her upcoming projects, including preparations for her next film, which is currently in development.
Zoe Wittock at EICAR Paris
A practical discussion about creativity and career paths
Beyond the screening, the masterclass was an educational highlight. Zoé Wittock discussed the film's origins, the development of the screenplay, the challenges of producing an international feature film, and the key stages that led the project to the festivals.
Students were able to ask questions about screenwriting, directing actors, financing a first feature film, and the realities of the international market. It was a moment of direct, unfiltered exchange, in keeping with EICAR's educational approach, which encourages the sharing of experience between former and current students.
The Alumni Network: A Strength for Students
Through this event, EICAR confirms the importance of its professional network. Graduates regularly visit the school to share their experience, offer concrete feedback on the reality of the sector, and sometimes initiate future collaborations. For students, these meetings offer a direct and tangible glimpse into their professional future: they enable them to better understand how professions are evolving, identify possible career paths, and learn about a variety of career trajectories embodied by alumni who once sat in the same classrooms.
Recently, the campus has hosted:
- A masterclass by Hannibal Mahé, a 2010 graduate in Réalisation Cinéma & Audiovisuel, and his 300 music videos produced as part of the "420 Workshop" collective.
- A screening of the short film Colosses in the presence of Thibaud Avenein and Daniel Kay, both graduates of EICAR Lyon, who came to discuss writing, production, and teamwork around a powerful subject.
- The screening of the documentary Cicatrices, directed by Gautier Étevenon and several members of his team who are also graduates of the school, gave students the opportunity to explore the challenges of making a documentary film, from conception to post-production.