Verzió x CEU
>>> The Human RightS Initiative (HRSI) at Central European University has published The Activist annually since 2002. The publication provides students with the opportunity to write articles about human rights issues, as well as edit or design a journal, and proofread. At the beginning of October, Verzió and HRSI issued a joint publication, the Verzió x Activist, edited by Zsófi Suba, the program coordinator for HRSI. In this English-Hungarian bilingual paper, you can read articles about the programs of the upcoming festival written by Verzió's curators, volunteers and former interns. These articles will also be posted on the Verzió blog.
>>> Many CEU students participate in the festival organization as volunteers. They distribute publications, author blog posts, and are physically present at the festival making sure audiences can find their place and that programs are carried out successfully.
>>> The fourth year of the DocLab filmmaking workshop is once again hosted by the technically well-equipped CEU Mirabaud Lab, where intense editing, designing and subtitling post-production takes place.
>>> Bill Morrison's masterclass (November 7) will take place at CEU, while his most recent film, Dawson City: Frozen Time, is screened at the festival. In the masterclass — jointly organized with the CEU Visual Studies Platform office — Morrison will discuss those instances in his work where the film material itself becomes an agent in the narrative of the film, and how this impacts the meaning of the film.
>>> Thanks to the cooperation of the CEU Community Engagement office, the DOK-SZAK-MA panel discussions will be held at CEU, at the Október 6 street location, November 7–9. There are three meetings planned for documentary filmmakers, producers, distributors and their curious audiences. On November 10, a new sensitization program about human rights, called IFi Verzió, will be held for more than 100 teenagers and numerous NGOs at the stunning CEU building at Nádor Street 15. The Community Engagement office has provided not only the nicest, most well-equipped rooms at the university, but has also helped to organize some of the NGOs, and covered travel and meal costs for participants.
Verzió x ELTE
The curriculum of three different film theory classes at Eötvös Loránd Science University this year cover Verzió and Verzió documentaries.
>>> The class of Beja Margitházi analyses trauma theory and the documentarist approach through documentaries. After the theoretical section, students are asked to write a short critique and a longer essay on a film seen at Verzió.
>>> Students in Teréz Vincze's Academic Writing Seminar learn how to write an essay, for which the films at Verzió will serve as a theme. As a result, they become closer to the topic of a certain film, and can also help others to form a more thorough understanding of that theme through their published articles.
>>> András Müller's class becomes familiar with human rights documentaries while learning about genres. As part of their practical workshops, students produce short promotional videos and interviews for the festival. Also focusing on a chosen film, students take part in public relations work by looking for local reflections of the film’s themes.
Verzió x METU
>>> Students from the Motion Picture Culture and Media Studies department at Budapest Metropolitan University will actively take part in recording the events of the festival thanks to Janka Barkóczi. As cameramen and editors, students will create short videos about the atmosphere at Verzióour events, sometimes happening at five places simultaneously, and conduct interviews with festival guests or audiences.
>>> As the festival is also interesting for those not strictly studying film, we intended to involve students from other art faculties in the preparations as well — this year, graphic design and art and design management majors. Together with Gabriella Uhl, the supervising teacher of Art Management, we included students in coordinating social media platforms, and in organizing the exhibitions and the screenings outside Budapest. Also, with the mentoring assistance of Ferenc Tepes and Ducki Krzysztof, we asked graphic design students to create alternative posters for the films shown at Verzió. These pieces will be displayed at Empathy Café, the official café of the festival. The exhibition opening time and date will be announced soon.
Verzió x SZFE
Documentary MA students from the Theatre and Film University (SZFE) are regulars at our programs — some have even presented their films here.
>>> This year's novelty is Máté Gáspár's class, which is learning about the analysis of art mediation techniques; this group will be investigating the methodology of the Student and Youth Verzió. Their approach is film as an educational tool, and they look at how film as a medium can serve learning and development.