Films & photos /

Art projects

Annual art projects under the supervision of professor Zsolt Balogh:

Each year there is a given theme around which a series of short films are made. These films are then shown in special screenings organized by the department. (See: film screenings.)

Here we also list all the other projects in which ensebles of short films have been created under the supervision of our teachers.

2018. Stories from the Târnava Valley Region

Supervisor: Zsolt Balogh

2018. Workshop on Analogue Black and White Film at Sapientia University.

Shooting the remake of the lost Hungarian film, Dracula

Supervisor: Róbert Lakatos

In 2018, the Film Department of the Sapientia University joined with the Association of the Hungarian Filmmakers from Transylvania, with the support of Bethlen Gábor Foundation from Hungary, to organize a workshop on shooting with Black and White (B & W) film stock.
The werk photos made during production can be accessed here.

2017. Travels around Kalotaszeg (the Călata Region)

Supervisor: Zsolt Balogh

2016. Castles along the Szamos (Someș) River

Supervisor: Zsolt Balogh

2015: Films about the Someș River

The purpose of this project was to present the region around the river Someș. Our students made a series of films in which they presented the settlements along the river Someșului under the supervision of professor Zsolt Balogh.

2014: Házsongárd

During the summer practice period the students made a series of films with the professional guidance of professor Zsolt Balogh about the famous central cemetery in Cluj. We consider it a great success that following this summer practice and obtaining a grant from the Hungarian Television, some of the films could be remade under much better conditions and a new series of films was made about the great cultural personalities buried in this cemetery. This revised project was lead by Orsolya Tóth. The project was a joint accomplishment of our active and former students. The films were broadcast by television, see a report and an interview with Orsolya Tóth about this project made by the ETV here.

2013: Biserici din Transilvania

O serie de filme despre bisericile cu valoare istorică din Transilvania care a fost prezentat și de televiziunea MTV din Ungaria, realizat sub îndrumarea lui Zsolt Balogh.

2012: The year of FEAR

2012: state debts, hunger strikes, natural disasters, ACTA, the end of the world coming. What will happen now? What would be your last deed if the end of the world was coming? It's sickening to even think about it. Some would make love, some would panic and resent their sins of a lifetime, some others would start feeding, others would jump off, intoxicated, from a rock. All these seem plausible.
As for those who are making films, they should create till the last moment. Or tell stories. Like this: once upon a time, in the year 2012, terrible fear spread over planet Earth. And there was a small class of would-be filmmakers, at Sapientia University, in Cluj-Napoca, in their second year of study, similar to the second son in the tales. Who does not mean a lot; he is simply being and never winning, even in the tales just a few sentences are devoted to them. So, these second sons united to face FEAR, and fight for the lucky outcome of the last day. They can not change it, but their FEAR TALE-ADAPTATIONS could be a prelude to vanishing. By the way, t's hard to overdo tales, full of horror, with the heads of the dragon cut off, with new heads growing, with grandma eaten by the wolf or the princess give to anybody by her father.
So, can we play irresponsibly? Being able to play offers freedom in filmmaking. We hope so. So it is worthwhile, even if the end of the world is coming. We may prove it. Chief editor: Ibolya Bálint.

2010-11: The year of LOVE

Why the year of love? Who does not dream of experiencing this feeling with special energies, stronger than the sound of sense, overcoming all kinds of social norms? Which creator is not looking for this healing power, at once a destructive force, causing anxiety and pain? Where does the secret lie, which engenders creative forces, showing a more sensible and more pure image of our world, of our beautifully complex human relations? Every small gesture is full of love, one simply has to recognize it, in oneself (Zoltán Nagy: Sejtekig szerelmes/Inner Love), in friendship (Katalin Moldovai: A barátkozás/Befriending), in specific, hidden fascination (Ildikó Bács: Gazdag fiú, szegény lány/Rich boy, poor girl), in frustrated instincts (Attila Bán: Szufla/Breath), in loneliness (László Szigeti: Napló/Diary), or in final goodbye (Hunor Kiss: Sokan voltunk/We were many). It is there in all our human deeds, when we are making sacrifices for each other.
What else should the otherwise much too peaceful Sapientia student do, but conquer and dissect all this? See it and make it seen, feel it and live it, and offer it for experience to the public. Students in third year show sensible talent when handling their filmic adaptations of literary works, finding secret moments of "inner love" in writings by Ferenc Sánta, Ádám Bodor, Sándor Márai, and Tamás Jónás.

2009-2010: The Year of "The Face"

Students are invited to make short films (fictional, documentary, literary adaptations, clips, etc.) all having the common theme of the human face.

The project was coordinated by the student: Orsolya Láng

Billboard for three art projects: "The Year of the Hat," "The Year of the Journal Nyugat" and "On the Railroad!"

2008-2009: On the Railroad!

Films in any way connected to the railroad (literary adaptations, short fiction films, clips, etc.)

Some of the finished films can be seen in the online collection of Transindex TV.

2007-2008: The Year of the Journal Nyugat

Films made in honour of the centenary of the legendary Hungarian literary journal Nyugat. The short films are adaptations of authors who published their writings in the journal (Kosztolányi Dezső, Kaffka Margit, Babits Mihály, Kassák Lajos, etc.)

The films can be seen on our website, here.