Cannes Film Festival (American Pavilion) 2019 – Leon_!
Driving alone through a snowy night, a man starts to think of his late lover Leon.
Interview with Director/Animator/Editor Zhong ("Zale") Zheng
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
It all started with an unsuccessful attempt in pitching my final project in my Intro to Animation class. I simply realized that given the amount of efforts and time I must contribute, I should make something I’m really passionate about and tell a story relevant to myself. I noticed that there’s a significant absence of sexuality in mainstream animation and I really wanted to challenge this preconceived idea that animation is “not film” and “not for adults.”
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
I couldn’t say Leon_! is something you’ve never seen in animation, but it’s something you haven’t seen enough. It makes you reconsider the boundary between live action and animation: what would an animated film become when most techniques and styles are borrowed from live action films? I also believe LGBT is underrepresented in the animation industry.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
The film is highly personal in the first place. The faceless character Leon is a bittersweet metaphor: he represents my deepest desire, my haunting regrets, and my incomprehensible sentimentality. He can be a multitude of things or merely a human figure at the same time. Still, these things might ring a bell for anyone about someone they lost or miss.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
It never had a script but a vague storyline. Everything started with some montage stuck in my mind while these images develop and multiply naturally with time, only to be edited together.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
Most feedback commends me for the visual style. Someone in my sound design class pointed out that it’s hard to differentiate, by sound, between the memory montage from the reality sequence.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
I wasn’t even sure if the indistinguishable sound was a bad thing, but it certainly opened up a possibility of re-doing the sound.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
As a film student, I’m grateful for any attention to my work and I wish it could take me further. Also, I’m looking forward to creating more films with prospective collaborators.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
They’re all welcome! Even though it’s still a student film, any exposure could help me sail further in my career. It’s exciting to have my work seen by a wider audience.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I wish it could show people a possibility in animation and help deliver the message that “animation IS film and it’s not only for children.”
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
“Who is Leon?”
Would you like to add anything else?
Big thanks to Gengoroh Tagame, without whom I couldn’t make this film (Otouto no Otto was an eternal inspiration). Also, thank you, Zoya Baker, Declan Zimmermann, Amanda Jiang and everybody on the 8th floor at Tisch.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Despite my main focus on editing/filmmaking, I’m planning to make an animation sequel to Leon_!. I’m also writing a script about a young man’s mesmerizing encounter with his Uber driver in New Jersey, which should be brought to life next year.
Interview: May 2019
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
Leon_!
Driving alone through a snowy night, a man starts to think of his late lover Leon.
Length: 1:52
Director: Zale Zheng
Producer: Zale Zheng
Writer: Zale Zheng
About the writer, director and producer:
ZHONG ZHENG, known as “Zale,” grew up in southern China where he fell in love with stream-of-consciousness storytelling and folk songs. As a current Film & Television student at NYU, he has directed several narrative shorts and works passionately as an editor and animator in his spare time.
Looking for: film festival directors, journalists, producers
Facebook: Zale Zheng
Instagram: @unlords
Hashtags used: #Leon_! #photoshop #toonboom #animation #mangadrawing #photoshop #digitalart
Other: Vimeo
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? American Pavilion Emerging Filmmaker Showcase / Cannes, France - May 19th; Cannes Court Métrage / Cannes, France - May 23rd; Tisch Student Animation Showcase / New York - May 16th.