- Film festival to take place from 13-24 March
Sri Lanka is seeing a revival of cinema, after the sector was severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and the economic crisis that followed. However, movies like Gaadi, Gajaman, and even foreign productions are attracting a considerable crowd, which is giving hope to the industry. During such a time, the Film Directors Guild of Sri Lanka (DGSL) is taking the initiative to launch a film festival, Sinamabhimana 2023, that will give local productions much-needed time in the spotlight.
Sinamabhimana 2023 will take place in cinemas across the island from 13-24 March, screening nine movies. According to DGSL Secretary Senesh Dissanaike Bandara, who addressed the media at an event held last week, the Film Directors Guild of Sri Lanka has completed ten years.
“During this time, we have carried out a lot of work. However, at this milestone, we felt that the DGSL must take a step forward for local cinema,” he said, explaining that with the newly appointed executive committee, the DGSL thought of different ways of taking this step forward.
They agreed, finally, on bringing prestige to cinema, and celebrating the pride of Sri Lankan cinema. This is what motivated the DGSL to organise Sinamabhimana 2023.
Bandara explained that the movies will be screened at 16 theatres across the island; Colombo City Centre, Savoy Premier, PVR Cinemas, Liberty by Scope Cinemas in Colombo and Kiribathgoda, Kandy City Centre, Skylight Malabe, Lite Cinema Homagama, Vox Light Avissawella, Vista Lite Ja Ela, Regal Cinema Gampaha, Max Lite Moratuwa, NIT Kurunegala and Rathnapura, Milano Kegalle, and Sky Lite Matara.
On 17 March, the DGSL will felicitate ten filmmakers from the 60s, 70s and 80s, who have made significant contributions to the industry.
Giving the audience a better idea of cinema, DGSL Chairman Jayantha Chandrasiri referred to the words of philosopher Francis Bacon, saying that man is nature’s interpreter as well as servant. This is seen through literature, and also acting. “We believe that acting dates back to the 5th Century. Since then, it has developed and grown, splitting into different branches, to become a vital media.”
However, Chandrasiri explained that, at first, cinema was not considered as evidence to back Bacon’s words, and it took a long time for people to recognise cinema as more than a magical object or technological advancement.
“The Lumière brothers said that cinema is a media, a commodity with no future, but later, it grew technologically, and with moving pictures, it expanded to other areas,” Chandrasiri said. He went into detail about the history of cinema and the birth of the author or the creator.
“Cinema is the director’s craft. He is the God or Brahma – making it, cutting it, changing it, and if necessary, extending it, and introducing different concepts or principles.”
Due to the filmmakers’ efforts, cinema is where it is today, and in order to attract more people to the theatre, especially given the current context, the DGSL has many projects in the pipeline, with Sinamabhimana 2023 being the starting point.
13 March: Sihina Ananthe by Channa Perera
Saying that it was difficult to summarise a two-hour movie in a few words, Sihina Ananthe director and actor Channa Perera said that this is his fifth movie as a director, with another to be screened soon.
“With Sihina Ananthe, commercial or popular cinema, my favourite and top preference, is represented, but instead of extremely simple storytelling, my movies tend to have more complex stories,” Perera said, explaining that with his first movie, he attempted to do something different for commercial cinema.
“The theme of Sihina Ananthe is that love is not ownership but compromise, and something that should be experienced and not suffered,” he added, sharing that there is a twist to the movie as well, which he hoped the audience would enjoy.
14 March: Girivasipura by Devinda Kongahage
Thanking the organisers for the film festival, not just as a member of DGSL, but on behalf of all filmmakers and cinephiles, Girivasipura director Devinda Kongahage shared details about the background of the movie, saying one must watch the movie to know about its story.
“We are experiencing a political erosion, and many say it began 74 years ago. But it begins four centuries ago, with the real erosion beginning during Kirti Sri Rajasinha’s era, and that’s when my first movie Bhawatharana was based,” he said, adding that Girivasipura looks at the biggest political erosion, which was during the 1798-1815 era.
“Many know about Kannasamy’s history from the wrong points. In most literary creations and historical discussions, Sri Vikrama Rajasinha is portrayed by an actor who is over 50 years old. But Rajasinha was arrested at the age of 35. By 36, he went to India. So we have always seen Rajasinha through lies,” Kongahage said.
15 March: Kidnap by Suranga de Alwis
“It is a moment of pride that I am able to screen my movie as part of a festival like this,” Kidnap director Suranga de Alwis said, adding that he had asked the organisers to pick a different director instead, as he was a DGSL member. “We somehow screen our movies, but there are many who, even with great difficulty make good movies but are unable to screen them, and I asked that they be given an opportunity.”
Without going into too much detail about the movie, de Alwis said: “I have always given the audience the space to critique or praise it, to watch the movie. So I am giving this movie that same space.”
Meanwhile, Kidnap actor Arjuna Kamalanath said, “During a time when many are not thinking about Sri Lanka and many have left the country, artists coming together and going on this journey, bringing together these people to do something like this is amazing.” While thanking DGSL, Kamalanath invited producers to invest in the cinema and develop theatres.
16 March: Midunu Vishwaya by Jayantha Chandrasiri
Speaking about his movie, Midunu Vishwaya, director Jayantha Chandrasiri shared: “We screened Midunu Vishwaya once three years ago at Liberty by Scope Cinemas. It was a successful festival, where people were scrambling to find a ‘house full’ board only to be told there was no such board. Later, we put up a handwritten notice outside the halls, and this isn’t just for my movie, but all movies.” He said he hoped all movies at Sinamabhimana 2023 would also attract such audiences.
Chandrasiri explained that his movie can be considered to be in the sci-fi genre, as it plays with the idea of introspection exercises, which are part of acting classes and can make people go into a trance. The movie explores this concept, as a time loop opens to an actress who is in such a trance.
20 March: Sinhabahu by Somaratne Dissanayake
The trailer for Sinhabahu wasn’t shown at the press conference to announce the film festival, and director Somaratne Dissanayake explained its absence, saying that not only the trailer, but production of the movie hasn’t been completed yet, but assured it will be, by 20 March.
This was due to the movie’s main actor Jackson Anthony meeting with an accident during filming, which caused delay. While Anthony was to play Sinhabahu in his adult and elderly age, the roles had to be reshot with the actor’s son Akhila Dhanuddhara, who had already been cast to play Sinhabahu in his younger years.
“Sinhabahu is a story we are all familiar with, having heard it since we were kids. There are many productions and works based on the legend, including a great drama by Prof. Ediriweera Sarathchandra. However, Sinhabahu is not a historical story. It is mentioned in the Mahavamsa, but Sinhabahu is a fiction. And it affects us as it affects the beginning of the Sinhala race,” Dissanayake said.
21 March: Seeruwen by Sudesh Wasantha Pieris
Sharing that Seeruwen is the only movie in which Jackson Anthony acts that is being screened at Sinamabhimana 2023, director Sudesh Wasantha Pieris said that it was after some time that a movie starring Jackson Anthony was being screened. He invited the actor’s fans to watch the movie on 21 March.
22 March: Passport by Chris Anthony
Thanking the organisers, Passport director Chris Anthony shared that when he took the script of the movie to producer Dr. Chandika Viranjith Thambugala, he was asked why he was there. “I said it was about a movie, and told him what kind of investment would bring him revenue. He told me to leave the script aside and asked my name. I answered: Chris Anthony. He asked if anyone knew me, and I said I had done a few short films. He said, ‘you have no name. Build a name first.’”
Anthony said that he was happy and proud of Dr. Thambugala, who reacted with “wow” upon watching the movie, adding: “I am unsure if Sri Lanka will have such producers in the future, but perhaps with the work we do, they will remain with us.”
Anthony praised the cast, especially lead actor Jagath Chamila and also the late Dharshen Dharmaraj, saying shooting took them to Pettah, Rajastan, Italy, Austria, and even the middle of the ocean.
23 March: 1970 Love Story by Aruna Jayawardana
Aruna Jayawardana’s second movie 1970 Love Story is different to his first, Nikini Wessa, and he said it has a movie within a movie, alternating between the present and the 1970s. “The story is based on a mysterious murder in a plantation bungalow in the 70s. The victim is a young, married woman, and later, the woman’s husband publishes a novel about their love story, which a film director takes up in present times.”
Meanwhile, 1970 Love Story actor Hemal Ranasinghe said: “Cinema in itself is a festival”, thanking the organisers of Sinamabhimana 2023. “1970 Love Story is a movie within a movie. The movie being filmed is attempting to depict the 1970s. I believe that the 1970s were the richest era in terms of music and fashion, and I believe others agree. So this beautiful era is being brought back to audiences in this film.”
24 March: Ridee Seenu by Udayakantha Warnasuriya
“My latest movie Ridee Seenu has been selected for the film festival, for which I’m thankful to the DGSL. Ridee Seenu is my 26th movie,” director Udayakantha Warnasuriya said, adding that he considers this a different project in his career.
“The theme of the movie is the good concept that two siblings come up with, that is then spread among society throughout the country. We started shooting last year and faced a few challenges given the situation in the country, but this is a lovely production,” he added.