Ohio University Student Film Maker Wins Award
at Cannes Festival
Contact: Zhang Weimin, (740) 593-3485
ATHENS, Ohio (June 19, 2000) -- Zhang Weimin, a graduate student in film production and multimedia design at Ohio University, has clearly stepped to the head of the class among student film makers worldwide. She won a student film competition at the international Cannes Film Festival in France this spring, claiming the Cannes 2000 Intel/American Pavilion Short Film Competition for a three-minute film she shot and produced while at the festival.
"We were given a day to shoot a piece that couldn't be edited. We had to shoot the film in the exact sequence and visually make the edits as we shot," Weimin explained. "We were to record our impressions of the film festival in a way that we could share with those not able to attend."
The mission was not an easy one, said one of Weimin's mentors.
"This was a very difficult film to make," said Jenny Lau, professor of film at Ohio University. "She had 24 hours to shoot it in a new environment with no preparation. She competed against the best students from the top film schools in the world. Since coming to Ohio University, she has broadened her understanding of the aesthetics of cinema, enabling Weimin to produce such a great work that transcends her previous efforts. The Ohio University School of Film is unique because it emphasizes the development of a 'complete film maker' who is capable in all aspects of film production."
With her background in cinematography, Weimin felt right at home behind the camera while making the award-winning film. In her native China, Weimin has been director of photography for three feature films and a 27-part dramatic series for TV. She is a graduate of the Beijing Film Academy.
"Weimin is clearly a gifted photographer/cinematographer with a strong sense of the visual," said George S. Semsel, professor of film at Ohio University. "Her feeling for visual composition is exceptionally strong. More importantly, she has found ways to extend her own personality into the subjects she films, which I find unusual in a young film maker."
Weimin attended the Cannes Film Festival on a Kodak Worldwide Student Program scholarship, and she shot assignments for the film company during the competition. One hundred students worldwide were invited to attend the famed festival, and eight received Worldwide Student Program scholarships to help cover expenses, including Weimin, who received the largest award.
All 100 student film makers were eligible to compete for the top student award won by Weimin.
"Just attending the festival was very valuable," Weimin said. "I had the opportunity to meet film makers from around the world, including several from China, and share ideas with them. It was a privilege to meet them at the press conference for the awards."
Weimin has continued her prolific work as a film maker while attending Ohio University, contributing to the production of three films. This summer, Weimin is working on a documentary for a film class at Ohio University.
