Franziska Schönenberger

Born in Germany, Franziska is a writer/director and producer with a passion for fiction, reality and animation. Franziska’s stories explore the idea of home, family and belonging. While studying directing at University of Television and Film Munich, she met the Indian artist Jay Subramanian, somewhere between Munich and Mumbai. Ever since both integrate their diverse cultural and artistic background in their cooperative work. Their documentary AMMA AND APPA premiered at the Berlinale International Film Festival and toured over 50 festivals worldwide. It won/was nominated for the Berlinale Dialogue en Perspective, Talent Award Dokfest Munich. THE SHADOWS OF THE DESERT, their second feature doc, premiered in competition at Dokfest Munich and the São Paulo International Film Festival. Their short RETTAI JADAI - THE GIRL WITH THE RED RIBBONS won at Bengaluru International Short Film Festival, the Tasveer South Asian Filmfestival and DC South Asian Film Festival. MY MIRROR, the recent short, is doing festival rounds. Both wrote their debut feature BRIDE WITHOUT DOWRY, in pre-production. PAPER PLANES - the newest venture - Franziska writes together with the Palme d’Or winning actress Kalieaswari Srinivasan.

Paper Plane(feature film)

India at the turn of the new millennium. Jothi, a single mother and Ayurveda doctor. Paul, a recluse German bachelor and business consultant. Love strikes. But bureaucracy will not allow them 'a happily ever after.