Wanakam – Stories about Tamil Refugees in Switzerland
A Documentary Film by Thomas Isler
The number of Tamil refugees who have been seeking asylum in Switzerland over the past twenty year reflects the intensity of the civil war in Sri Lanka. Today there are about 35,000 Tamil men and women living in Switzerland. Calculated on the basis of population, this is by far the largest Tamil exile community in Europe. In the meantime, most of them have regular residence permits for Switzerland. But those who do not fulfill all the requirements – because they earn too little – are caught in a legally uncertain residence situation - even after many years in the country. Their lives are worn down by the constant fight for permits and work, authorization to travel and education. WANAKAM tells the story of Nixsan, put in a home for children, who has stopped talking since he fled from Sri Lanka; of Sasi, who is consumed with homesickness; of Mena, on her difficult path to independence and of Aiya, who escapes his loneliness with sad songs. Wanakam focuses on people who benefit from Swiss immigration policies only because they provide cheap labor. Their chances of social integration are almost nil.
«My sadness will only go away when I can eat from my mother’s hand again» Sasi
«I did not come to Switzerland to marry» Mena
«Our son Nixsan has two souls» Theveswary and Ratnes
«My daughter is a big girl now. I have never even seen her» Aiya
The civil war in Sri Lanka has cost 65’000 people their lives thus far and driven 800,000 refugees to flee their homeland. Since February 2002 there has been an armistice between the Sri Lankan government troops and the rebel organization, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). But after the breakdown in peace negotiations in April, 2003 and after the election was won by the Singhalese Nationalists in February, 2004, the situation has again become extremely tense. The Tsunami of 26 December 2004 brought death and destruction to thousands and thousands of people along the coast of Sri Lanka – to both Tamils and Singhalese alike. It remains to be seen whether or not the path of recovering from this catastrophe will lead to peace.
«The compelling film grants these people access to the public eye and ear, showing how, in spite of all their difficulties, they have impressive power and dignity.»
Neue Zürcher Zeitung
«What Isler's film does primarily is arouse respect among the viewers.»
Neue Luzerner Zeitung
Switzerland 2004, 35mm, 82 minutes
Swiss distributor:
Wanakam – Stories about Tamil Refugees in Switzerland
A Documentary Film by Thomas Isler
Fact Sheet:
CountrySwitzerland
Year2004
Length 82 minutes / 2390 meters
Format35mm colour
Screen Ration1:1.66
Speed25 fps
SoundDolby SR
Author and directorThomas Isler
Cinematography Matthias Kälin, Stéphane Kuthy
SoundPatrick Becker, Jürg von Allmen
Film editingFee Liechti
MusicKnut Jensen
ProducersClaudia Frei and Stella Händler
Production company freihändler filmproduktion gmbh
Hüningerstrasse 85
CH- 4056 Basel
A co-production with Swiss National Television SF DRS
Original language Tamil, German, English
Language of subtitles German/French and German/English
Swiss distributorcineworx gmbh
Gerbergasse 30 / Postfach
CH-4001 Basel
produced with contributions from:
National Film Fund: Bundesamt für Kultur (EDI) Schweiz
City and canton Zurich
Cantons of Basel and Solothurn
Migros Kulturprozent
Filme für eine Welt – Brot für alle/HEKS/Caritas/Fastenopfer
Evangelisch-reformierte Landeskirche des Kantons Zürich
Integrationsförderung des Bundes (EKA/IMES)
Kulturfons Suissimage
Thomas Isler - Bio-/Filmography
Born 1967 in Basel, Switzerland
1989-1991 Studies in Philosophy, History und Sociology, University Basel
1992-1993 Studies in 16mm filmmaking, University of Art and Design Bern
1993-1998Studies in Film and Video at the University of Art and Design Zurich, (HGKZ)
Professional activities after studies:
-Lecturer in film and video at HGKZ
-Tutor for student directors and producer of short films for Atelier Zérodeux, Expo.02
-Director for cultural programmes, Swiss National Television SF DRS
-Several cultural video productions in commission: Theater Neumarkt Zurich, architects Herzog and de Meron Basel, Museum for contemporary art Basel, Cinema Neues Kino Basel (and others)
Filmography
2004"WANAKAM" documentary, Digital Video/35mm 82 Min
2004"GRÜNAU, DAS ZIEHEN AM RANDE DER STADT" short documentary, DV 35 Min
2002 "NIPPONS WUNDERDOSEN" short documentary, video 12 Min.
2001"DAS CELLO", short fiction, 35mm blow-up, 25 Min.
(Locarno 2001, Max Ophüls, Saarbrücken 2001, Solothurn Filmfestival 2002, Cinéma des Cinéaste Paris, 2002, broadcasted on Swiss National Television SF DRS)
1998"CARLAS HIMMEL" short fiction, 16mm, 20 Min.
(Max Ophüls, Saarbrücken 1999)
1996"RADIOSPACE", experimental video, 4 Min
(Prix "point de vue" Basel, Total Mobile Home, San Francisco)
1995"FASTER MOVIE, KILL KILL KILL" experimental film, 16mm, 4 Min.
(Intern. Festival of Student Films Potsdam, 12. Short Film Festival Hamburg, Film- und Videoforum Freiburg, media art Osnabrück, Viper Luzern, Images Toronto)
1995"UNTERLAND" documentary essey, 16mm, 13 Min, co-directed by Felix Stalder
(Solothurn Filmfestival 1996)
1994"DAS INSEKT IM AUGE" short documentary, 16mm, 15 Min.
(Film u. Videotage Basel, Prix Spiez)
1992"TV MOVIE" animation film, S-8 6 Min.
(Solothurn Filmfestival, Maritime Filmtage Wilhelmshaven, International Filmfestival Montreal, broadcasted on Swiss National Television SF DRS and ARTE)