Landscape as Living Classroom • Documentary as Situated Inquiry
From 1st September to 31st October 2026, By Auroville Film Institute, In collaboration with Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh
OVERVIEW
Ladakh is a landscape of extraordinary ecological fragility, ancient civilisations, cultural memory and geopolitical significance, with rapidly changing contemporary realities. As development, tourism, climate change and resource use reshape this high-altitude region, questions of land, ecology, identity, representation and participation are becoming increasingly significant. The continuing conversations around safeguarding Ladakh’s fragile ecosystems, cultural integrity and national interests offer a compelling context in which to observe not only the landscape and its lived realities, but also the dreams, memories, aspirations and imaginations of its people.
It is within this context, we offer an eight-week immersive, hands-on documentary filmmaking workshop. The workshop introduces participants to the language of cinema, classical and contemporary documentary practices, alongside foundational perspectives in visual anthropology, ethnography, deep ecology, media ethics and participatory documentary practice.
With a strong emphasis on directorial practice, participants will receive hands-on orientation in cinematography, sound recording, editing and documentary research, developing the skills required to work independently and resourcefully in the field. Rooted in practical filmmaking, the workshop is equally concerned with the philosophical questions underlying documentary practice: Why do we film? From where – with what position and perspective ? What gives us an entry and access? Where does an inquiry begin, and how does it evolve through encounter? Drawing upon the 3S framework : Self • Surrounding • Story, the workshop will facilitate cinematic articulation of stories that spring from an authentic interaction of the self with the surrounding – encouraging a situated practice: attentive to context, conscious of position and open to the unexpected. The films and media artefacts emerging from this process will serve not only as creative expressions, but potentially as contemporary records of a region in transition.
The workshop invites participants to enter Ladakh not simply as a exotic destination to be consumed through images, but as a living classroom in which observation becomes inquiry, inquiry becomes encounter, and encounter becomes a cinematic artefact.
This workshop is a part of Auroville Film Institute’s Open Space Documentary Arts Programme.
WHO IS IT FOR:
The workshop aims 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:
01 to 04 Sept : Unit 1 : Introductory and Orientation Sessions
05 to 08 Sept : Unit 2 : Basics of Photography & Motion Picture
09 to 11 Sept : Unit 3 : What is a Documentary – History of Documentary
12 to 13 Sept : Unit 4 : Research Methodology – Towards Documentary & Artistic Research
14 to 17 Sept : Unit 5 : Masterclass with Stanzin Dorjai Gya @ Tar Village
18 to 20 Sept : Unit 6 : Conference – Ladakh: Land Identity & Future : Place • People • Power • Possibility
21 to 22 Sept : Unit 7 : Reflections, Reviews & Sharing Circles
23 to 27 Sept : Unit 8 : Masterclass with Deepti Gupta @ Phyang Village
28 to 30 Sept : Unit 9 : Cinematic Exercises & Unhurried Exploration @ Lamayuru Village
01 to 03 Oct : Unit 10 : Documentary : Platforms, People & Practice – Online Symposium
01 to 03 Oct : Unit 11 : Reflections, Reviews & Sharing Circles – Discussing Possible Ideations for Films
04 to 06 Oct : Unit 12 : Cinematic Exercises & Unhurried Explorations @ Chanthang
07 to 10 Oct : Unit 13 : Developing Ideas for Film & Pitch Presentation
11 to 12 Oct : Unit 14 : Pre Production Planning & Preparing
13 to 16 Oct : Unit 15 : Production – Filming
17 to 24 Oct : Unit 16 : Post Production – Edit
25 to 28 Oct : Unit 17 : Post Production – Sound, Subtitles, Colour & Mastering
29 to 30 Oct : Unit 18 : Public Screenings & Valedictory Function
31 Oct :Sharing Circle & Closure
FEES:
For India and SAARC Nations – ₹ 85000/-
For Other International Participants – € 1500/-
*The fee does not include accommodation. Accommodation charges will be approximately ₹9000-10000 per month. Campus Accommodation will be facilitated on a twin/triple sharing basis. Those preferring single occupancy can opt for it at a premium.
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 a day of the receipt. Selected participants will be notified immediately. 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.
CERTIFICATION:
Certificate of participation will be issued jointly by Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh and Auroville Film Institute.
QUERIES:
AVFI at info@aurovillefilminstitute.com / +91 9969879319 (Richa) / +91 9767475001 (Tiyasha)
HIAL at study@hail.edu.in / +91 7051992140 (Dechen)
WORKSHOP DIRECTOR:
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.
KEY RESOURCE PERSONS / FACILITATORS:
Sonam Wangchuk
Programme Advisor | Field Mentor
Sonam Wangchuk is an innovator, education reformer and co-founder of the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh (HIAL). Widely recognized for his pioneering work in contextual education and sustainable development in the Himalayan region, he has dedicated his career to creating learning models that integrate local knowledge, ecological responsibility and practical problem-solving. His initiatives have inspired generations of learners to engage critically with the environmental and social realities of their communities. Through HIAL, he continues to advocate for experiential, transdisciplinary and place-based approaches to education that respond to contemporary challenges while remaining rooted in local contexts. Within OSDA, Sonam contributes a deep understanding of Ladakh’s ecological, social and cultural landscape, helping participants situate documentary practice within broader questions of environment, community and responsible futures.
Gitanjali J. Angmo
Programme Advisor | Field Mentor
Gitanjali J. Angmo is an educator, social entrepreneur and co-founder of the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh. Her work focuses on developing inclusive and context-responsive educational environments that support individual growth, collective wellbeing and community participation. Deeply engaged with holistic approaches to learning, she has played a significant role in shaping educational programmes that connect inner development with ecological awareness and social responsibility. Her work at HIAL reflects a commitment to nurturing reflective, compassionate and engaged learners capable of responding creatively to the challenges of contemporary life. Through her involvement in OSDA, Gitanjali contributes perspectives on contemplative practice, integral approaches to education and the relationship between inner awareness and meaningful engagement with the world.
Deepti Gupta
Faculty Mentor | Documentary Cinematography
Deepti Gupta is a cinematographer and visual artist whose practice spans documentary filmmaking, independent cinema and collaborative image-making. Working across diverse geographies and production contexts, she brings a strong observational approach to cinematography, with a focus on light, space, landscape and lived experience. Her work reflects a sensitivity to both the technical and poetic dimensions of the moving image, often rooted in long-form engagement with subjects and environments. Alongside her creative practice, she has been involved in mentoring and film education, guiding emerging practitioners in developing visual clarity and ethical attentiveness in documentary work. At OSDA, she contributes her experience in documentary cinematography, helping participants refine their visual language, technical skills and perceptual awareness in field-based filmmaking contexts.
Stanzin Dorjai Gya
Faculty Mentor
Stanzin Dorjai Gya is an internationally acclaimed documentary filmmaker from Ladakh whose work is deeply rooted in the lived realities of Himalayan communities. Raised in the village of Gya, he brings an intimate understanding of the region’s landscapes, cultures and changing ecological conditions. Through his production company Himalayan Film House, he has created a body of work that foregrounds local voices while addressing broader questions of climate change, adaptation and cultural continuity. His celebrated film Shepherdess of the Glaciers received more than twenty international awards, including the Grand Prize at the Banff Mountain Film Festival, and established him as one of the most significant contemporary documentary voices from the Himalayas. At OSDA, Stanzin offers participants insights into place-based storytelling, independent filmmaking and the ethical responsibilities of representing communities from within.
Debkamal Ganguly
Faculty Mentor
Debkamal Ganguly is an independent filmmaker, researcher and educator whose work brings together cinematic practice, film philosophy, editing and artistic research. A graduate of the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute, Kolkata, he taught for eight years at the Film and Television Institute of India, where he contributed to curriculum development, interdisciplinary teaching and pedagogical innovation across the departments of Editing, Direction and Screenplay Writing. His creative work has received national and international recognition, including the Tiger Award for Shorts at Rotterdam and the Special Jury Award for Non-Fiction at the Indian National Film Awards. Alongside filmmaking, Debkamal has presented research internationally on cinema, sound, memory, intertextuality and media studies, with publications appearing in academic journals and edited volumes. At OSDA, he brings a rare combination of artistic practice and theoretical rigor, guiding participants through questions of cinematic form, editing, narrative construction and contemporary media practices.