Franziska Schönenberger
Franziska Schönenberger
Jayakrishnan Subramanian
Jayakrishnan Subramanian
Jayakrishnan Subramanian, born in Tamil Nadu, India, initially studied mechanical engineering before pursuing his passion for art. He earned a BA in Fine Arts at the University of Madras and studied graphic design at the National Institute of Design Ahmedabad. Meanwhile, in another part of the world, Franziska Schönenberger, the daughter of a Swiss father and a Bavarian mother, delved into journalism. She completed her MA in Literature and Film Studies before studying directing at the University of Television and Film Munich. Their paths eventually crossed, and a collaborative partnership began.Jayakrishnan moved to Weimar, where he completed an MA in Media Arts at the Bauhaus University. Under the mentorship of Andreas Dresen and others, he honed his craft. The pair decided to fuse their cultural backgrounds into their collaborative work, aiming to build bridges and promote understanding. 
Their documentary, "Amma & Appa" premiered at the Berlinale and was showcased at over 50 festivals worldwide. It won the Starter Film Award of the city of Munich. The Kirch Foundation Media Art Grant funded their art installation about Indian migrant workers, leading to the podcast series "Dubai Dreams." Their second feature, "The Shadows of the Desert" premiered in the international competition of Dokfest Munich and the São Paulo International Film Festival. Their short film, "Retta Jadai - The Girl with the Red Ribbons", traveled to numerous festivals and was nominated for the Golden Sparrow at the German Children's Media Festival. It received the Best Director award and two special jury mentions at two Oscar-qualifying festivals: the Bengaluru International Short Film Festival and the Tasveer Film Festival. After premiering at the Hof International Film Festival, their short film "My Mirror" won an Audience Award at Filmzeit Allgäu. Both films were screened at over 150 festivals, received the rating "especially valuable", and were both suggested for the German Short Film Award in 2021. The couple wrote the screenplay for their feature film debut "Bride Without Dowry", supported by FFF Bayern. They collaborated with actress and Palme d'Or winner Kalieaswari Srinivasan for their hybrid animated film "Paper Planes", which was presented at the Berlinale Talents. "Paper Planes" was selected for the HerArts Development Lab and shortlisted for the Mediterranean Film Institute's Development Workshop. Their current project "Maya's Song" was part of the Talents and Short Film Market in Turin and is a part of SPOTS, an initiative of the German Film Academy to promote film culture and democracy.
Both filmmakers conduct workshops on intercultural and diverse filmmaking at institutions such as the University of Television and Film Munich, the Bauhaus University, and the Goethe Institute. Franziska served on the jury of the Hof International Film Festival and the Indian Film Festival Stuttgart. In addition to her directorial work, Franziska has published her first autobiographical novel, "Exchange Dirndl for Sari". Jayakrishna has also won the Arts Research Grant twice from the Indian Foundation for the Arts with his video installation.In all their work, they strive to challenge stereotypes about culture, identity, and gender. Their stories explore themes of home, family, and belonging. Currently, the duo splits their time between Munich and Pondicherry.
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