We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful ZIJIE ZHOU. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with ZIJIE below.

ZIJIE, appreciate you joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I believe it was during my internship at the documentary department of VICE China while at university that I realized I wanted to pursue this as a career and learn more about it. Before interning at VICE China, I was always a very obedient, model student at home and school, trying to play the role of an excellent student. However, my experience at VICE exposed me to the subcultures in China and various individuals living within them. For the first time, I realized that beyond the conventional path set by mainstream society, there lies a beautiful forest of possibilities, where everyone shines in their own way. Perhaps they may seem insignificant to the mainstream, but it was then that I realized the immense importance of preserving diversity.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Initially, I was attracted by the documentaries about North Korea and various Chinese issues produced by VICE GLOBAL, and I worked hard to secure an internship at VICE China, eventually becoming a photographer for their documentary segment. Later, I ventured into commercial advertisements, short and feature films, but ultimately returned to my passion for documentary filmmaking, finding that it’s still this form of visual storytelling that appeals to me the most. Currently, I am working on documentaries about various Chinese issues, including those about refugee identities and my own family history. I hope to leverage my experience and skills from narrative filmmaking in the documentary storytelling process, blending fiction and non-fiction to tell meaningful and simultaneously engaging stories.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

It’s often beneficial to introspect on one’s life, even though the process might not always be pleasant. Observing one’s life from a different perspective can reveal blind spots created by the inertia of daily living, such as sources of anxiety or topics we tend to avoid. I believe that any form of creation requires a certain degree of sincerity, and the raw material for this sincerity comes from our perspectives on our life experiences. Whether it’s projection or direct narration, an artist’s attitude and viewpoint can hardly be concealed for long in their work. Thus, making documentaries frequently prompts me to reflect on my sometimes prejudiced views, and to reconsider the unconscious elitism and arrogance in my life. I find these reflections immensely helpful and valuable, and I am very grateful for them.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

After working in commercial videography for two years post-graduation, I faced the dilemma of whether to continue in that field. The income from commercial advertisements was tempting, but I later realized that such work significantly impaired my experience with and understanding of authentic imagery. At that juncture, I had to make a choice, so I transitioned into producing narrative shorts and features. However, the issue of conveying true emotions still troubled me. It was only when I returned to documentary filmmaking, my original passion, that I felt a familiar sense of relief and security. Speaking truthfully can sometimes be risky in China, and the income is uncertain, but working on these sincere projects has made me braver and more empathetic. I believe this turning point is crucial, especially in the age of AI.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.zijiezhou.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_zijiezhou_/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zijie-zhou-a644a3a7/

Image Credits
SIBAO