Campus Magazin Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg 22/23

ALUMNUS OF FABW’S
INTERNATIONAL CLASS COORDINATES
FILM SCHOOL IN NORTHERN SRI LANKA
BATHURSHAN GANESHALINGAM SPENT HIS
CHILDHOOD WATCHING TAMIL FILMS FROM
SOUTH INDIA. GIVEN THAT BESIDES GOING TO
SCHOOL AND SOME PRIVATE LESSONS IN THE
AFTERNOONS, THERE WAS NOTHING MUCH TO
DO, WATCHING FILMS BECAME A WELCOME
DISTRACTION FROM THE THREATENING SET-
TING OF CIVIL WAR THE COUNTRY FOUND
ITSELF IN AT THE TIME. YEARS LATER, HIS
EARLY PASSION FOR FILMS WAS REFLECTED IN
BATHURSHAN’S DECISION TO SKIP HIS IT STUD-
IES AT THE OPEN UNIVERSITY OF SRI LANKA
FOR A CAREER IN FILM, RISKING HIS PROS-
PECTS OF A SOLID INCOME. HIS PARENTS WERE
NOT AMUSED.
It was the country’s film festivals, such as the Colombo
International Film Festival, or the Short Film Screenings
at the Goethe Institute, that widened Bathurshan’s perspective
to international films and finally led to his successful
application at the Colombo Film and Television
Academy (CFTA) to study film sound and editing. At the
school, Singhal is the teaching language, which Bathurshan
had to learn quickly in order to follow the lectures
and seminars.
FILMAKADEMIE AS A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION
“When I received the nomination from CFTA to go to
Filmakademie as a guest student, I could hardly believe
it. I was so full of joy and in anticipation of the stay
there. My time in Ludwigsburg has been incredibly inspiring,
as I was not only able to learn from outstanding
lecturers, but I also got the chance to prove myself
as a sound recordist, which opened many new paths for
me. By supporting me with a grant, the German Federal
Ministry of Foreign Affairs has enabled me to embark
on this wonderful exchange. I am very grateful for that,”
Bathurshan says.
FIRST TAMIL FILM LIBRARY IN SRI LANKA
The foundation of the Balu Mahendra Film Library and
Learning Resource Center (named after the successful
Sri Lankan film director) in Kilinochchi in the North of
the country, also set the ground stone for a small, new
film school. The library and the seminar room serve as
a creative hub for youngsters who are trained in theoretical
lectures and seminars, and are working on practical
exercises with film equipment. There are some
800 books in the library by now, as well as more than
12.000 films in Tamil and in English. “In the first year,
we already received more than 100 applications for the
20 seats we can offer,” Bathurshan continues. “The call
for the third intake has just started. Besides our regular
curriculum, we are also offering short-term workshops.
Some of them, like camera or sound, are much
sought-after. We are also happy to report an ever-growing
community of supporters, numerous international
professionals among them, who deliver their training
online, via Zoom, during the pandemic.”
FABW ALUMNI SERVE AS MENTORS
Two of FABW’s alumni were among those who supported
the project as online mentors: Kumaran Herold, who
studied cinematography at the Filmakademie, is now
working as a DoP. His Tamil language skills came in
handy when he delivered the fundamentals of camera
work within his three-day cinematography workshop.
Although he was only present online, he instructed the
participants to engage in his active, hands-on program.
Julia Schlingmann completed her studies at FABW’s camera
department in 2013, and has been working as a freelance
DoP since then. In her seminar „Light in Documentary
Film,“ she taught students how to work effectively
and creatively in situations where there is only available
light. Her seminar is especially helpful to those who
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