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| Saturday, 15 February 2003 |
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Tikiri reaps Bitter Harvest Emerging film director Tikiri Ratnayake's maiden feature film "Purasakmana" (Bitter Harvest) focusing on the social enigma of a poverty stricken village is now being screened on the EAP Circuit.
The film set in the true backdrop of a dry zone remote area revolves round the inhabitants of a poverty-stricken village who eke out a living from the parched soil. Gunawathi (Anoja Weerasinghe) and her daughter Yasa (Kanchana Mendis) are fast losing the battle against the drought and the wild elephants who rampage through the cultivated fields. The village mafia boss Wilmon (Cleetus Mendis) and his band of thugs are engaged in the lucrative business of growing marijuana and brewing illicit liquor. Gunawathie's husband Andiris is serving a jail-term for selling illicit liquor while Wilmon persuades Gunawathie too to take up selling liquor. Despite his sexual liaison with Gunawathi, he rapes her daughter Yasa too. Having come to know that Yasa is pregnant, Gunawathi attacks Wilmon but in the ensuing struggle, she is killed. With her baby in arms and her father by side, Yasa now contemplates the greater struggle ahead, the struggle to survive after the bitter harvest. Acclaimed teledrama director Ratnayake launched his career in television and film soon after his university education at the Peradeniya University where he obtained a Special Degree in Political Science. "My struggle was to point out the debacle of the lives of those villagers who opted to search for alternative avenues of generating income amidst the meagre income from farming and burning problems they encounter daily," Ratnayakesays. People who were once used to traditional farming have turned to various clandestine operations when they find no other alternative to live in this market economy, he added. In this scenario it is the women who are subjected to much hardships and exploitation than the men, Ratnayake says, commenting on why he selected this topic for his maiden film. In 1994, his television production Swayan Wara was highly commended. It was selected for the final round of ten films in the international competition conducted by the British Council on the theme of Women and Development. Among his teledramas are Viman Dorakada (1995), Isuru Diya (1997) and Sathi Pooja (1999). His Gandela Nisalai (2000) was selected as the best teledrama by a young director in 2001. The art director of the film is K.A. Milton Perera, music is by Navaratne Gamage while director of photography is Lal Wickramarachchi. It is produced by Sama Ratnayake. ###################### Symphony Orchestra Concert today
concert will open with the overture to Glinka's opera 'Ruslan and Lyudmila', one of classical music's most brilliant orchestral showpieces. The music is full of energy from the first bar. Ross, only 30 years, is a musician on the rise with a growing conducting repertoire of over 350 works, especially orchestral and operatic, ranging from the Baroque to Contemporary music. He is Music Director of the Christ Church Festival Orchestra, Oxford and of three other orchestras in UK. He is building a busy international career having now conducted in twelve countries, including Austria, France and Italy. He teaches music at Oxford University. Dr. Ross is a frequent guest speaker and has spoken at the Bibliotheque Nationale de France in Paris. He will be giving the SOSL pre-concert talks at Ladies College at 6 p.m. The concert begins at 7 p.m. ###################### Fancy Rains to come again Arumosam Wehi (Fancy Rains), a film by Priyantha Colombage, which created an uproar in cinema circles will be re-screened from next week. The film drew much attention and as well as criticism from many quarters of the local film industry as Priyantha withdrew the film from public screening, alleging that there had been deliberate attempts to remove his film from cinema screens. Fancy Rains woven around a circus group is specially focused towards children. It is the third film by Priyantha and was produced with a 100 per cent loan extended from the National Film Corporation. The film commenced public screening from December 20.Priyantha is happy to see his film being released again. "I am happy as the country appreciates this kind of films which caters to especially to the children." However, he stressed that the Government should pay more attention towards safeguarding the local film industry. "Children's or and family oriented movies should be given more encouragement and assistance." While expressing gratitude to the Government and the Film Corporation for the support extended to him, Priyantha pointed out that all those involved in the industry should strive to formulate a national policy on the film industry. |
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Produced by Lake House |
It was featured at the 26th Cairo International Film Festival and the
Mumbai Asian Film festival held recently.
Guest Conductor Dr. James Ross will conduct the Symphony Orchestra of
Sri Lanka today in what promises to be another memorable concert. Two
years ago Dr. Ross delighted the audience by drawing playing of a new
energy, clarity and emotional expressiveness from SOSL. The concert
programme selected by Dr. Ross should give ample scope to demonstrate his
skills and flair again, and to confirm the developing standards of the
Orchestra's playing. The
