Paul Zhou

Film Practices Postgraduate Researcher

Supervisors: Dr Alastair Cole, Dr Caleb Johnston, Dr Andrew Law

I am a PhD Film Practice student at Newcastle University and also serving as a lecturer at Ningbo University in China. My award-winning documentaries have been recognised at festivals and awards including the Grierson Awards, One World Media, Bengaluru International Short Film Festival and Nice International Film Festival.

Project Description:

My PhD project is a practice-based research project centred on the feature-length documentary Settling in Namur. It explores the everyday lives of Chinese migrants in Belgium, with a focus on migration, family life, identity, and belonging. Combining long-term documentary filming with academic research, the project uses film as a way to better understand and represent lived experience.

Research Interests:

My research interests centre on using documentary filmmaking as a method of inquiry into the lived experiences of overseas Chinese communities, especially in relation to migration, transnational family life, identity, and belonging. I am particularly interested in practice-based and ethnographic approaches that bring together creative work and critical research. Beyond migration-focused projects, I am also interested in documentary practice around disability inclusion, stray animal care, and football fan culture.

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