Η Ίριδα Ζιόγκα ειναι βραβευμένη σκηνοθέτις και παραγωγός ταινιών animation με ειδίκευση στα mixed media, το 2D και το stop motion animation.
Σπούδασε Σκηνοθεσία και Τηλεόραση στο University of the Αrts του Λονδίνου και στην συνέχεια εργάστηκε ως animator, σκηνοθέτις και παραγωγός σε τηλεοπτικά διαφημιστικά καθώς και εκπομπές για το BBC, το SkyArts και το Channel 4. Πραγματοποίησε την πρώτη της ταινία animation «Το Νόημα της Ζωής» το 2009 η οποία απέσπασε συνολικά 7 βραβεία, ενώ το 2017 ξεκίνησε στην Αθήνα την παραγωγή της νέας της ταινίας stop motion animation «Man Wanted» η οποία έχει χρηματοδοτηθεί από την ΕΡΤ, το Ελληνικό Κέντρο Κινηματογράφου καθώς και τα κέντρα κινηματογράφου της Εσθονίας, Σερβίας και Αλβανίας.
Το 2019, επιλέχθηκε από την ARTWORKS ως μια από τους 15 βραβευθέντες Έλληνες καλλιτέχνες του οπτικοακουστικού χώρου (με την υποστήριξη του ιδρύματος Σταύρος Νιάρχος), το 2020 βραβεύτηκε με υποτροφία από την ASIFA-Hollywood, ενώ το 2021 από τον διεθνή οργανισμό Women in Animation (WIA). Από το 2020, είναι εκλεγμένο μέλος της ASIFA-Hellas.
Τα τελευταία 6 χρόνια έχει διατελέσει, ανάμεσα σε άλλα, programme curator στο φεστιβάλ animation FRAMED της Ολλανδίας (2021-2022), μέλος σε κριτικές επιτροπές φεστιβάλ animation (TAF, Linoleum) και έχει δώσει διαλέξεις σε πανεπιστήμια της Ελλάδας και του εξωτερικού (Πάντειος, Πανεπιστήμιο Αιγαίου, University of Cologne, University of Tubingen, University of Tulane κτλ).

IRIDA ZHONGA CV
Creative Producer / Animation Director
A. Kortestraat 6-18, 6811EN, Arnhem, NL. T. +44 7908991090
www.iridazhonga.com

PROFILE

I am a creative producer/director whose artistic expertise lies in mixed media, 2D, and stop-motion animation. I have been working across diverse genres for more than 15 years and my directing credits include short films and commercials.

EDUCATION

2020-PRESENT UNIVERSITY OF GRONINGEN (NL)
Research MA Arts, Media & Literary Studies (Film&Animation Specialisation)
Honours MA Leadership: Making the difference (completed – grade 9,3)

2009-2012 UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS/LONDON COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATION (UK)
BA(Hons) Film & Television 2:1

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

SEP 2022-PRESENT Stuffed Productions – Founder
Creative animation production studio based in the Netherlands.
JULY 2022-PRESENT Takes 2 Productions (GR) & Dirty (UK) – Producer
Responsible for supervising the production of the 6-part online animated series “In a day’s work” for Mailchimp and It’s Nice That

AUG 2008-PRESENT Various production companies – Freelance Director & Animator
Commercials and branded content for clients such as TED-Ed, Nescafe, Marks&Spencer, the Guardian, Ryvita, the Olympics, Lancome, Garnier etc.

SEP 2021-PRESENT University of Tübingen (DE) – Research Associate
Part of the Research Center for Animation and New Media

MAR 2021-JULY 2022 University of the Arts, London – Special Lecturer/Mentor
Part of the University’s Industry Mentoring Programme which aimed to support postgraduate students’ transition from education to industry performing tutoring and portfolio advice sessions.

DEC 2020-MAY 2022 Framed! Animation Festival – Programme Curator (Forum, Groningen)

MAR 2015-ΑUG 2017 Shortlist Media & Sunset + Vine (UK) – Creative Producer

MAR 2011-FEB 2015 Various UK TV Production Companies – Researcher/Assistant Producer
Responsible for setting up entire episodes for UK tv shows for BBC, Channel 4, and ITV.

FILMMAKING EXPERIENCE

JULY 2017-PRESENT ‘Man Wanted’ – Writer / Director / Producer (co-production GR/ES/SR/AL) Short stop motion and 2D animation film (in post-production)

SEP 2015-DEC 2016 ‘Ethnophobia’ – Producer & Editor (co-production GR/AL)
Short stop motion animation film (30 awards and 200 festival selections)

JULY 2009 ‘Saligia-1’ – Director
Short pixelation film, part of the CARTE BLANCHE VI Audiovisual exhibition Produced by: Booze Co-operativa (1 award, 7 festival selections)

JAN 2008-MAY 2009 ‘The Meaning of Life’ – Co-Director & Editor (co-production GR/AL)
Short stop motion & 3D animation film (7 awards, 13 festival selections)

GUEST LECTURES & MASTERCLASSES (selection)

• Animation in Practice, lecture (BA in Transmedial Animation Studies, University of Cologne, April 2022)
• The short animation film, ‘Man Wanted’, as a case study for creating a methodology for organisation and development of an audiovisual production, lecture (MA in Animation, University of West Attica – Greece, May 2021)
• International co-production for an animated short film, seminar (University of Aegean- Greece, December 2020)
• Animation Pitching 2-day workshop (Training participants on how to improve their films at Linoleum Contemporary Media Art & Animation Festival-Ukraine, June 2020)
• Stop Motion: The Art of animation & techniques, lecture (Panteion University of Athens – Greece, November 2018)
• Producing & Directing a short animation film (Linoleum Contemporary Media Art & Animation Festival – Ukraine, September 2018)

HONOURS, AWARDS & FUNDINGS

2022 Women in Animation (WIA) Scholarship (US)
2021 Gold & Bronze Ermis Awards for ‘I am Here’ campaign by the Association of Advertising and Communication (Greece)
2021 Society for Animation Studies (SAS) Event Sponsorship-Crafting Animated Worlds
2020 ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Educators Forum Scholarship (US)
2019 Artworks Artist Fellowship Programme (Stavros Niarchos Foundation, Greece)
2018 Greek Film Center Film Funding, Albanian National Center of Cinematography Film Funding,
for Man Wanted short film, Serbian Film Center Film Funding for Man Wanted short film
2017 Estonian Film Center & Estonian Cultural Endowment Film Funding for Man Wanted short film 2017 Greek National Broadcaster ERT Film Funding for Man Wanted short film
2007 Albanian National Center of Cinematography & Greek National Broadcaster ERT Film Funding
for The Meaning of Life short film

AFFILIATIONS

• Elected Board Member, ASIFA Hellas (Greek Animation Society) Greece, 2020-present
• WIA (Women in Animation) member, 2020-present
• SAS (Society for Animation Studies) member, 2020-present
• NECS (European Network for Cinema and Media Studies) member, 2021-present