“For Your Sake” – Three Generations of Women in Nepal
Ronja Hemm, a graduate of the Time-Based Media program, has been awarded the Mainz University of Applied Sciences University Council Prize for her outstanding academic achievements. Ronja Hemm received the award, which comes with a prize of 2,000 euros, for her bachelor’s thesis “For Your Sake,” a documentary film about three generations of women in Nepal. The thesis, supervised by Prof. Tjark Ihmels, received the highest possible grade of 1.0 in both its practical-artistic and theoretical components.
Family as the Greatest Treasure
A generational shift is sweeping through Nepal. Two daughters of a Tamang family are preparing to study abroad. Their hope for a better life is great, but the cost is immeasurable. They must leave behind what is the Tamang tribe’s greatest treasure: family. Back in their home village, the sisters seek a conversation with their mother and grandmother, who still lead the hard life of the old tradition. Neither had ever attended school, and in other ways, too, the three generations—as children of their respective eras—have been shaped differently. Very little is as it was just a short time ago. And yet something unites the women. Each of them would give everything for the family.
In her documentary “For Your Sake,” Ronja Hemm uses cinematic techniques to tell a powerful, socially relevant parable through the story of a Tamang family in Nepal. Through her story of three generations of women, she focuses on and brings into sharp relief the major themes of emancipation, globalization, and environmental destruction.
The student lived for three weeks with a small film crew (director, camera operator, sound technician, and an interpreter) in the Tamang family’s village. With great empathy, she succeeded in gaining the women’s trust, sharing in the most intimate moments of their family history, and thus granting viewers deep, unvarnished insights into their daily lives and culture.
“Ronja Hemm’s film captivates with its sensitive storytelling, striking imagery, powerful, emotional editing, and a unique documentary intimacy with the protagonists. The precise camerawork allows viewers to accompany the protagonists through their ever-changing world. In every frame and in each sequence, we sense the transformation and the disintegration of the ‘old world.’ The result is a powerful film full of symbolic depth and intensity,” explains Tjark Ihmels.
Artistic Power and Social Commitment
The fact that Ronja Hemm possesses an exceptionally high level of competence not only professionally but also socially is evident not only in the subject matter and the background story of her graduation film “For Your Sake.”
Even before beginning her studies, Ronja Hemm completed a voluntary social service year (2011–2012) at the special education day center run by Lebenshilfe Bamberg. During her time as a student at Mainz University of Applied Sciences, she was also deeply committed to social projects. In 2018, for example, she volunteered on the film project “Ohne Worte – die AphaSinger Hessen”—a film that explores aphasia (a disorder affecting the language center of the brain). From September 2019 to January 2020, Ronja Hemm curated the film program for the Bamberg Short Film Festival on behalf of Offene Behinderten Arbeit Bamberg.
The films Ronja Hemm has created in the past also bear witness to her extraordinary social commitment. In the film “Jimena” (2017), she collaborated with Lenny Faust and Angelica Ruiz to create a documentary portrait of Jesica Luna, who recounts her experiences and how she coped with the sudden death of a loved one. Also in 2017, Ronja Hemm wrote the screenplay and directed the film “Schäuferla & Ayran.” The film was produced in collaboration with Syrian refugees and explores the broad theme of hospitality toward strangers. Ronja Hemm currently works as an assistant in the foundation’s communications department at the Würzburg Institute for the Blind.
The University Council established the award in 2009. Prof. Dr. Susanne Weissman, President of Mainz University of Applied Sciences, emphasized at the award ceremony—which took place digitally this year—that: “The award is a special honor for students and graduates. This is because our university recognizes not only outstanding academic achievement but also the recipients’ broader social and academic engagement. We are delighted that this year’s award honors a graduate who, through her outstanding artistic and social skills, has earned great recognition from both students and faculty.”
