International Department: The first feature film by a former student hits theaters this summer!

Zoé Wittock, a graduate of the Bachelor of Fine Arts program, recently released her first feature film in French cinemas.

Zoé's Journey: from Belgium to EICAR

During her three years of training in the Bachelor of Fine Arts program, Zoé Wittock gained experience as a director, cinematographer, and assistant director on the many student productions at EICAR. "Working in various roles on school film sets and frequenting the dark theaters of the capital allowed me to better understand the meaning of cinematic creation."

Graduating from EICAR in 2008, Zoé continued her studies by joining the prestigious American Film Institute in Los Angeles. She graduated with honors after presenting her thesis film, This Is Not An Umbrella. The film was selected by the Directors Guild of America (the American filmmakers' union) and achieved considerable success at various festivals worldwide, including the renowned Krakow Film Festival in Poland.

Zoé Wittock's First Feature Film

In JUMBO, Zoé Wittock tells the story of Jeanne, a shy young woman who works as a night guard at an amusement park. She has a close relationship with her outgoing mother, Margarette. While no man seems to find a place within their duo, Jeanne develops strange feelings for Jumbo, the park's main attraction.

For her first feature film, the young director assembled an impressive cast: Noémie Merlant (Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Return of the Hero), actress and director Emmanuelle Bercot (Mon Roi, Girls of the Sun; Standing Tall, 150 Milligrams), Bastien Bouillon (The Players), and Sam Louwyck (Keeper).

In January, JUMBO was selected for the prestigious Sundance Film Festival in the World Cinema Dramatic category, with a release planned for France and Belgium in March. Zoé Wittock's feature was also showcased at the Berlinale (Generation section) and the Gérardmer Fantastic Film Festival (Out of Competition).

Finally released on July 1st in theaters across France and Belgium, don't miss Zoé Wittock's JUMBO!