The EFS Film School, led by filmmaker Rouzbeh Rashidi, offers an immersive and transformative educational experience that challenges conventional approaches to cinema. Rooted in experimental and personal filmmaking, the school cultivates creativity, collaboration, and personal growth among its participants. Below, past students and alumni share candid reflections on their experiences. These testimonials serve as an inspiring resource for those who wish to understand the school’s philosophy and consider enrolling.
Theme 1: A Transformative Journey in Filmmaking
A frequent sentiment among students is how their time at EFS Film School spurred a deeply personal and artistic transformation. By pushing beyond traditional boundaries and adopting new perspectives on cinema, they discovered fresh ways to express themselves and gain deeper self-awareness.
From Aida Berisha: “I cannot recommend this enough. Those five days with Rouzbeh Rashidi taught me so much about who I am, not only as an artist but also as a person. This is for whoever wants to expand the way they think of cinema in a radical way and explore a more personal guttural kind of filmmaking.” “I’ll come back to this comment section once I find the words to describe this experience. Thank you so much, RR, for such a transformative week. It will not be forgotten!”
From Meijuan Foo: “It was a consciousness and sensory expanding week, thank you, Rouzbeh Rashidi.”
From Guido Pontani: “Thank you, Rouzbeh Rashidi, for your experimental calm and inspiring teaching.”
From Eline Farideh Koning: “For the last six weeks, I have participated in the Experimental and Personal Filmmaking course by Rouzbeh Rashidi. Each session was interesting as it is expanding one’s mind, consciousness and vision. Filmmaking is living, and the most important films are the ones we are not making, according to Rouzbeh. It was overall very satisfying to listen to Rouzbeh and to hear his thoughts about experimental and personal filmmaking. I have seen so many experimental films in the last weeks, and it is exciting and frightening at the same time. It is the fear and excitement of not knowing what you will see, hear or experience. It is thrilling to realize how one’s experience of perceiving the movie is so personal with all senses. As Rouzbeh states, filmmaking is like living, or living is filmmaking. The philosophy and depths are endless and limitless. Infinity of creation, deleting pressure and exploration of the senses.”
From Ming-Zhu Hii: “Your lecture and the films — and the selected reading texts, too(!) confirmed for me that enrolling in this course was one of the best choices I could have made and the curriculum I’ve needed for so long.”
From Cristina Prudente: “Thank you for such an inspiring filmmaking course. The content and resources provided have been incredibly valuable, and they’ve given me the boost I needed to start working with videos again after feeling creatively stuck. The lectures helped validate my filmmaking approach, and I found the emphasis on repetition particularly insightful.”
From Ruth Moran: “Thank you so much for this certificate and especially for your wonderful programme. It was such a pleasure having access to your teaching, the class group and the interesting films you set for us to view.”
From Morgan Kulas: “You are very kind! Thank you for the incredible course, learning experience, and certificate of completion. Honestly, I will be sitting with this course material for months and years to come. I also intend to continue to learn from you in the future.”
From Richard Harrison: “Thanks very much for the incredibly useful and insightful course! I have found it incredibly rewarding. My current aim has been to re-engage with film in a new way, and your course has really helped me along this path.”
From Dennis Kulunnguaq Johannes Inuk Aningaaq Møller: “Thank you so much for these past weeks; it has truly been inspirational and exciting to work on my projects with the topics you talked about in mind.”
From Umair Bilal: “Thank you for such a wonderful and enriching course. It was truly a pleasure to be part of these sessions and to engage with your insights on personal and experimental filmmaking.”
From Bonnie Boyle: “This course has put form on the type of thinking and feeling I have wanted to engage with around filmmaking. Teaching is one of the realms that I can be the most critical of (much more than film, for whatever reason). For me, you continued throughout the 6 weeks to dance the lines between the intellectual, creative, insightful, thoughtful and vulnerable in a way that is rarely done.”
Rouzbeh Rashidi’s method emphasizes self-discovery, intuition, and openness to unconventional approaches. By encouraging students to delve into their deepest creative impulses, he facilitates both artistic and personal breakthroughs—outcomes that remain foundational to their ongoing development.
Theme 2: Creative Collaboration and Shared Vision
Beyond learning new techniques, many participants value the supportive community and collective spirit at EFS Film School. Students build lasting bonds, share resources, and motivate one another as they pursue their artistic goals together.
From Holly Mia: “It really was a switch-in-brain-path new-lens-on-making portal-to-majik-plane sort of experience for me; I still come back to my notes often when I am working on new films or making them up in my head. I deeply appreciated your teaching style and was very affected by your devotion to the act of film, the concepts of collaborating behind its making, and the spaces you helped to create for conversation, discussion, and most importantly, sharing.”
From TAM: “Such an inspiring experience, thanks Rouzbeh; glad to have this shared experience and made friends along the way.”
From Ryan O’Toole: “Thank you for your thoughtful teaching and engagement this week. It was great to learn from you and all of the other students, and this was a very special class.”
From Janna Heiss: “Thank you a lot for your input, ideas, comments, and your vision on (experimental) film! It was a very inspiring course and a great exercise.”
From Catherine Phillips: “Thank you for such an inspiring course.”
From Diane Zillmer Studio: “Audio/visual Berlin artists, poets, creative souls, highly recommended.”
Collaboration and mutual support are integral to the EFS experience. Students not only learn from Rouzbeh Rashidi but also from each other—cultivating an environment where creativity thrives, and everyone is inspired to push further.
Theme 3: Pushing Boundaries and Expanding Perception
In line with EFS Film School’s core philosophies, participants are urged to transcend conventional norms of filmmaking. The focus on experimentation and sensory exploration opens new horizons, encouraging them to see, hear, and interpret the medium in unexpected ways.
From JAGARA: “What a fun and unusual week. Thank you, Rouzbeh Rashidi, for bringing your life learnings and honesty. I can’t wait to explore what was discovered. How great to meet such a diverse group.”
From Bahar Tus: “Thank you very much for such an inspiring and wonderful experience.”
From Darmyn: “I absolutely loved my time in this class with so many inspiring souls. Thanks, everyone!”
From Freddie: “Such an eye-opening experience! Thank you for this, Rouzbeh!”
From zenz_a: “So much to take from this experience.”
From Ray Pelka: “Weeping in departures, thank you, Rouzbeh, thank you, everyone.”
Expanding one’s creative palette involves embracing the unknown and facing the discomfort of experimentation. By challenging traditional cinematic practices, students learn to break barriers, refine their artistic voice, and elevate their storytelling.
Theme 4: A Lasting Impact
Long after the courses end, students consistently rely on the lessons and perspectives gained from the EFS Film School. From first-time filmmakers to experienced creators seeking new directions, alumni report that Rouzbeh Rashidi’s teachings continue to inform and invigorate their craft.
From Karina Siegmund: “I visited his class last year. I made my first experimental film and highly recommend his class and meeting Rouzbeh.”
From Jose Ramon: “I can’t believe how far we got in 5 days; thanks again.”
From Taaneya Balaji: “It was magical. Thank you for everything, Rouzbeh.”
From Abdullah Abudiak: “It was an absolute masterpiece! Thank you for being who you are.”
From Cíana Fitzgerald: “It was an incredible experience; thank you so much, Rouzbeh.”
From Likuna Daushvili: “The whole course was amazing and fascinating, thank you.”
From Clarice Gargard: “It was amazing, thank you so much.”
From Vedika Kushalappa: “Thank you, it was a great course.”
From Oisin McFarland Smith: “Really enjoyed it. Thank you.”
These reflections attest to the school’s enduring impact: the creative shifts, expanded perspectives, and deepened resolve that come from engaging with the EFS method remain potent well beyond the last day of class.
Conclusion
Collectively, these testimonials underline the richness and authenticity of the EFS Film School experience. Students do not merely learn filmmaking techniques; they embark on a profound journey of self-discovery, collaborative spirit, and unbounded exploration. Under Rouzbeh Rashidi’s guidance, participants reimagine what cinema can be and chart new paths in their creative evolution. For prospective students seeking not just a course but an awakening of artistic potential, these voices speak for themselves: EFS Film School offers a genuinely transformative space where experimentation, community, and personal growth converge.
