24th June to 17th August 2024 (55 Days)
OVERVIEW:
Context: Located across a trans-Himalayan high-altitude desert, Ladakh today, as the northern frontier of India, balances a popular imagination between a pristine monastic spirituality and international borders. Historically a crossroad between the Tibetan Himalayas and west Asia, Central and sub-continental Asia, Ladakh has been a witness to the passage of empires, armies, merchants, goods and ideas. Developing thereof not only a robust local material culture, but a syncretic cosmopolitan character.
As a new Union Territory of India, Ladakh today is undergoing systemic shifts, bringing forth dreams of an ideal state; and desires and demands of civic reforms; dynamizing an otherwise imagined idyllic landscape / mindscape. The proliferation of industrialized tourism is reshaping the contours of regional culture and economy and raising questions on its fragile ecosystem.
Methodology: The workshop will be anchored around the theme of deep ecology, an environmental philosophy that understands self as deeply connected with and as part of nature, not disassociated with it. Drawing inspiration from a biocentric worldview, the workshop will explore the theme of 3S : Self -Surrounding-Story. Encountering circumstantial realities, in response to inner curiosities and concerns; at the intersection of the self and the surrounding, the emerging stories will be developed as cinematic narratives.
Challenging questions will be posed, like the purpose of filmmaking or the position of the filmmaker, for instance, being an insider or an outsider. The perks of the position, the point of entry or the line of enquiry, the field of access, the sensitivity or the dynamism while approaching the subject. The workshop will take a philosophical approach, while working out and demonstrating practical processes of filmmaking.
While basecamp will be in the homestays in Phyang and Taru village, next to the University campus, extensive site explorations will be included from nearby villages like Phey, Spituk, Nimoo, Basgo, Saspol, Likir extending to Lamayuru during the full moon night; and of course, the old town of Leh and Kargil.
The workshop will facilitate and contextualize observations of the evolving urbanscapes, community histories and social memory, aspects of tangible and intangible cultural heritage, while simultaneously examining and experimenting with the creative documentary practice. Participants will be mentored to make their own short films and media artifacts – ready for exhibition at the culmination of the workshop. The films and media artifacts bear a much longer life not only to exhibit and construct discourses on culture of the said region but archive contemporary concerns and movements.
This is a production oriented workshop and the films produced as a part of the workshop will have public screening at the end of the workshop followed by Q&A with the filmmakers.
NOTE:
This workshop is associated with the ongoing Open Space Documentary Arts Programme.
WHO IS IT FOR:
The workshop hopes to draw participants from both the region and beyond, having diverse professional backgrounds and interests including: anthropology and other social sciences, film, art, architecture and design. The trans-cultural-disciplinary participation aims at a productive exchange of ideas and insights setting up a diversity and inclusive experience of collective learning. It is an intermediate level workshop – open for participants from all over India and abroad.
CURRICULUM & SCHEDULE OUTLINE
22-23 June : 2 Days : Check in and acclimatization
24-30 June : 7 Days : Unit 1 : Introductory Sessions
01-05 July : 5 Days : Unit 2 : Basic Orientation of the Cinematic Language
06-07 July : 2 Days : Unit 3 : Conference : Understanding Ladakh
08-11 July : 4 Days : Unit 4 : Landscape Orientation + Filmmaking Exercises – 1
12-21 July : 9 Days : Unit 5 : Landscape Orientation + Filmmaking Exercises – 2
22-25 July : 4 Days : Unit 6 : Developing Idea to Film
26-29 July : 4 Days : Unit 7a : Pre-Production
30-04 Aug : 6 Days : Unit 7b : Production
05-14 Aug : 10 Days : Unit 7c : Post Production
15-16 Aug : 2 Days : Unit 8 : Final Film Screenings + Sharing Circle + Gala Dinner
17 Aug : 1 Day : Check out.
FEES:
For India and SAARC Nations – ₹ 65000/-
For Other International Participants – € 1300/-
*The fee includes standard accommodation at the basecamp (twin/ triple sharing basis in homestays – with breakfast. Further meals can be opted at basic rates on daily / monthly subscriptions – in the homestays)
*The production costs of the films, when off the basecamp, mainly including local travel and lodging during the shooting phase, cannot be accounted for in advance, and will have to be borne by each filmmaking group – depending on the film they have chosen to make – its location, scope etc. During these days, the basecamp will be available for the participants – in case one wishes to anchor at the base and explore subjects in the vicinity.
SELECTION PROCESS:
Please fill the application form and write the statement of purpose thoughtfully. Selection will be on strength of application i.e on the basis of merit and motivation to join the workshop. Applications will be processed within 4 days of receipt. Selected participants will be notified within a week after receiving application. Fee payment is expected within a week of selection. Participation will be confirmed upon verification of payment.
EQUIPMENT DETAILS :
We believe the equipment you have is the best equipment to make your film with. As you are familiar with your own equipment, you can learn to utilize it better. Basic equipment: (i) Camera (ii) Tripod (iii) Sound Recording Device (iv) Editing Laptop – expected. Additional gears are an advantage – however not compulsory. No specific recommendations for the camera models. The editing machine however, should be capable enough to process footage shot from one’s own camera, whichever camera one may have. Auroville Film Institute will have equipment sets; they will be used for demonstrations; they can be issued to the students as back up.
WORKSHOP DIRECTORS:
Richa Hushing: Alumna of Film and Television Institute of India (TV Direction 2005), Richa Hushing began her work with Majlis, an interdisciplinary, multi-formats art initiative in Bombay, where she joined ‘Godaam’, a storehouse of documentary film footage. She was an assistant to the expansion of ‘Godaam’ into a greater entity: pad.ma – Public Access Digital Media Archive, an online repository of densely text-annotated video material, primarily footage. It was her tryst with this ‘time’ that did not find space in film, but was still no less telling, that crafted her subsequent practice as an audiovisual archivist, an editor and a documentary filmmaker. Between 2006-08 Richa helmed the ‘The Dharavi Documentation Project’ filming character portraits and communities during one of the most volatile phases of redevelopment. Her portrait film ‘Director Painter Shri Baburao Laad Saheb’ running 5 star acting school in Dharavi got showcased in Retrospective of Indian Documentaries – Iran International Documentary Film Festival, 2013 – among others. In 2014 she won the Maharashtra State Award for her film ‘Devrai -the Sacred Groves’. ‘Nicobar, a long way…’ (2017), observing aboriginal islanders’ identity and resilience in wake of Tsunami received accolades in international anthropological and environmental film festivals: Ethnografilm Festival, Paris; Royal Anthropological Film Festival, Bristol; World Film Festival, Estonia; Viscult – The festival of Visual Culture, Finland; Film South Asia, Nepal; Smaragdni Eco Film Festival, Croatia; Pêcheurs du monde, France; and a special mention award at the Millennium Film Festival, Brussels. After a decade-long practice based in Mumbai, she and her partner Rrivu Laha moved to Auroville, an international township (2017) and founded the Auroville Film Institute (2019). Richa works as Creative Director and Curriculum Designer, curating and conducting cinema-centric learning journeys in an experimental modality. Currently she is also making a biographical film on Padma Shri Awarded archaeologist, K K Muhammed – for NFDC.
Rrivu Laha: graduated from St. Xavier’s College Calcutta in Mass Communication and Video Production (2003); he did PG diploma in Motion Picture Cinematography from Film and Television Institute of India, Pune (2007). His documentary filmography began with student film ‘Aamchi Kasauti’ (2006) winning Best Documentary at IBDA Dubai and at Jeevika Film Festival of Livelihoods; selected in Mumbai International Film Festival and Tehran International Film Festival (2006). ‘Vasudev, the singing minstrels of Maharashtra (2007) won Special Jury Mention at Youth New Wave, Sri Lanka; ‘Dhananjay Kulkarni ‘Chandragupt (2009) won a ‘Special Jury Mention’ at Jeevika International Film Festival Film Festival (2011) and showcased in the Retrospective of Indian Documentaries – Iran International Documentary Film Festival (2013). As a Cinematographer, his work began with ‘Thread’ that showcased in 64th Locarno International Film Festival and Clermont-Ferrand Film Festival among others. He has worked as DoP for short films, ads and documentaries. As a film and media practitioner, critical media pedagogy has been Rrivu’s chief preoccupations. He has actively sought to contextualize and contemporise his cinematographic practice in a rapidly evolving media environment. His interest in media for education brought to his repertoire, his role as a Creative Producer of educational projects: ‘1000 science activity videos for IL&FS Education Technology’ (2011-13) ‘Audiovisual Training Modules’ for various silvicultural and forestry practices (2013-16); other technology interventions, public service spots and process documentation projects. Post his stint in the Nicobar Group of Islands as associate director and cinematographer for a documentary ‘Nicobar, a long way…’(2017), Rrivu moved to Auroville with his partner, Richa Hushing. He envisioned and co-executed ‘Auroville Timelines’ an in-situ video art project, born out of research of Auroville’s archival footage (2017-19). In 2019 Rrivu co-founded Auroville Film Institute to experiment with a new pedagogy, encouraging new practices in cinematic arts. He has directed Hands On Documentary Film Workshops in Ladakh, Rann of Kutch and in Auroville along with his collaborator, Richa Hushing.
Debkamal Ganguly: an alumnus (1996-1999) from Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute, Kolkata, is an independent filmmaker, researcher and teacher of cinematic arts. He has taught for 08 years (2012-2020) in Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, in the departments of Editing, Direction and Screenplay Writing; he took active part in curriculum design, implementation of Choice-based Credit System (CBCS) and getting approval of masters level equivalence for the film wing courses from Association of Indian Universities (AIU). He has taught as guest faculty in National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad, Flame University, Pune, School of Film and Media Sciences, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Bhubaneswar. He has worked as Syllabus Committee Member at Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI), Kolkata, and Member of Board of Studies for KIIT Bhubaneswar. He is associated with Auroville Film Institute since 2021, offering specially designed courses on short films, documentary, analysis of works of master filmmakers, film-philosophy, cinema and classical arts, spatial and temporal concepts of cinema, appreciation of editing. His independent creative video work got published under special curator-ship from Lowave, Paris. Video art has been featured in the exhibition ‘Indian Highway’ and showcased in galleries of various cities of Europe and Asia. Video and film works have received recognition, including ‘Tiger Award for Shorts’ in Rotterdam (2007), Special Jury Award for Non-fiction in Indian National Film Awards (2019) He has presented papers on themes related to cinema studies, media studies, film-philosophy, pedagogy of cinema, immersive sound, visual art, intertextuality, collective memory, literature, craft traditions at CARA-CIECT conference in Witwatersrand University, Johannesburg (2018), CILECT conference in VGIK, Moscow (2019), Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theater (2019), University of Arts, Stockholm (2022), Sapientia University, Romania (2022, 2023). His research based essays got published in several academic journals and anthologies including publication from Routledge (2022). He is a participant & coordinator of India in an international project for artistic research involving BRICS countries (2018).
CERTIFICATION:
Certificate of participation will be issued jointly by University of Ladakh and Auroville Film Institute. 90% attendance is compulsory to get a certificate.
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS:
24th May 2024
Auroville Film Institute 