The Center for Indian Studies, (CCIS) University of Colombo, successfully organized a one-day workshop on Ethnographic Filmmaking at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura on April 30th, 2025. The event was conducted following the approval granted by committee members at the 12th Management Board Meeting of the Center for Indian Studies (CCIS), The workshop was held in collaboration with the Department of Anthropology, University of Sri Jayewardenepura under the guidance of the Acting Vice Chancellor, University of Colombo and the Director of the Center for Indian Studies (CCIS). The successful execution of this academic initiative was made possible through the esteemed support of the Indian High Commission, whose contribution was instrumental in facilitating this unique education workshop.
The workshop, specifically designed for 50 final-year undergraduates in Department of Anthropology in University of Sri Jayewardenepura. The event featured two distinguished resource persons, Ms. Waruni Chandersena and Mr. Indika Bulankulame and shared their expertise and practical insights on the field of Ethnographic Film Making. Their interactive sessions covered key aspects of Ethnographic Film Making focusing the lessons in Indian Context. Further to this, the workshop highlighted contemporary trends and challenges in ethnographic filmmaking in India. By exploring how Indian filmmakers navigate these challenges through innovative and critical approaches, the workshop provided Sri Lankan students with valuable perspectives on applying similar methods in their own cultural and academic contexts.
The workshop featured several esteemed academic addresses, including: Dr. Jagath Bandara Pathirage, Director of CCIS, Prof. Sepala Samarasekara, Head of the Department of Anthropology, Senior Prof. Padmalal Manage, Vice Chancellor, Prof. Praneeth Abhayasundere, Uinversity of Jayewardenepura who spoke on The Significance of Visual Anthropology. The event was well-received by students, and participants expressed their gratitude for the valuable opportunity, along with a strong interest in attending similar workshops in the future.
