Professional
Clinik.Kathmandu
(Documentary Residency)
Peer support residency for South Asian filmmakers.
Personal work exploration, Peer based learning
APPLICATION OPEN (March 2025)
Key Information
Duration
- 30 days Residency
Focus Area
- Documentary film
- Multidisciplinary Video, Photography
- Sustainable Media
Eligibility: South Asian filmmaker aged 21 and above.
Location : Dhulikhel campus
dates: 1st – 30th March 2025
Application : Ongoing
EXTENDED CALL
Fee:
Please write to us for details.
Features
- Multi cultural team work
- Peer reviewed, supported skill growth
- Work in distinct spaces of Nepal
Introduction
Docskool’s, Clinik.Kathmandu (Documentary Residency), is a 30 day residency for filmmakers to spend time exploring personal work while learning through peer support. Organised in a mixed cultural setup at Docskool’s farm campus in Kathmandu the residency helps filmmakers look at different aspects of documentary film within the region and their work in the larger context.
Launched in 2018 as Clinik DocLab, this program is also held as a pitch training and community media workshops. The 2024 version is being held as a residency for filmmakers from 9 countries in South Asia. The lab encourages filmmakers to work on their personal style while at the residency as we provide flexible time and space to work on any materials of choice. Clinik DocLab sees Documentary cinema at a crucial cross road between opportunities presented by commercial platforms while also contradicting with significant rise in surveillance and subjugation of artists across the region. We believe filmmakers coming together to forge alliances is a major step towards redefining how non-mainstream cinema and documentary in particular has traditionally been seen and treated.
The 2024 Clinik Documentary Residency is open to 8 participants. The residency will be held for 30 days at two locations. Participants can join from different disciplines including as directors, cinematographer, editor, sound person or as an observer.
Residency Structure
This residency is structured as an open exploration event with participants encouraged to spend time on personal work. Frequent personal reflection and appraisal sessions have been planned with participants taking the seat of co-advisors.
The residency will be presented in 3 stages at 2 locations. Participants
will be involved in ideating and executing 3 short documentary projects
during this period. Participants work on an open topic for the first two personal films. The first of which should be made at the participants home location. Upon arrival participants will make a second project with similar treatment
in context of the residency. Each project is followed by a peer and personal appraisal.
The third and final film can be made in one of two locations provided by
the residency. The final project shall be executed as a group project.
The residency is complete with a village based screening/festival.
What to expect
Expect to spend time at Docskool’s farm, stroll the large forest in our neighbourhood – work with the local community while being surrounded with filmmakers you can talk to and work alongside. Work on any format of your choice ensuring the final film falls within broader category of ‘documentary’. Work with no pressure of time or modality restrictions.
Mentors and Advisors
The Residency is not mentored. Peer support forms the main basis of advisory for the program with all participants taking on the responsibility to guide one another and work alongside. A resident filmmakers will join the program to assist when need be.
Clinik DocLab is fortunate to be supported by a wide range of filmmakers and professional trainers from around the globe. Residency participants will be offered the option to engage with professional trainers following their appearance at DocLab. The residency could be used as a platform to complete ground work for a proposed film in development.
Advisors who have been part of the Clinik Documentary Lab in the past include.
Salome Jashi – Filmmaker, Georgia
Albert Elings – Editor/Filmmaker, (Netherlands Film Academy)
Prof. Nilotpal Majumdar – Project consultant, Editor (DocedgeKolkata)
Heidi Gronauer– Advisor, Consultant (Zelig School of Film)
John Badalu – Producer, Festival Consultant (Indonesia)
Rawyan Shayema – Filmmaker, Cinematographer (Bangladesh)
Tazeen Bari – Filmmaker, (Documentary Association of Pakistan)
Clinik.Kathmandu program advisors include
Marten Rabarts – Script advisor, Cultural campaigner
Gabriel Kelly – Writer, Producer, Trainer (AFI, Sundance, Vgik)
Dominique Welinski – Distributor, Producer (Torino, DW Production)
Nilotpal Majumdar – Documentary advisor, Trainer (DocedgeKolkata)
Industry Partners
Clinik.Kathmandu maintains partnerships with film labs, festivals, film markets among others. These benefit the participants attending Clinik.Kathmandu as it may support networking in favourable situations. Docskool does not commit to provide positions at any labs/markets.
Partners from past and present include:
International Film festival Rotterdam – Rotterdam Labs
Locarno International Film festival – Open Doors (Key advisor to Open Doors South Asia)
Hongkong Asia Film Financing Forum
NFDC Labs, NFDC India
Midpoint Institute, FAMU
Dhaka Doclabs – Bangladesh
Goteborg Film Festival, Goteborg Film Fund
Mediacorp Singapore
Docedge Kolkata, India
Alumni
Women in Cinema Support
Women and Queer applicants of the Clinik Documentary Lab qualify for Docskool’s Women in Cinema support. Please refer to specific page for further details and contact information. (Available under Professional)
Getting Here
The residency will be held at Docskool’s Ehwa Arts Collaboratory/ Farm. The farm sits on a mountain top with a grand view of the himalayas and a vast valley which opens in the north. We neighbour a lush community forest with significant wildlife presence. (please visit Campus page for details)
Visa to Nepal is on arrival. Flights to Kathmandu are available from all South Asian countries except Afghanistan.
We recommend road/train for travellers from India, Bangladesh, Bhutan or Sri Lanka. Airport pickup will be available.
To Apply
– links to 2 recent projects
– Statement on how you wish to use the month at Docskool and in what ways you expect the residency to be useful.