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| Saturday, 22 February 2003 |
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Movie fans in for a treat : Global hits
Ranjith Perera, a film director has set aside his usual business of directing films and turned to a new venture - to bring films from different countries and screen them here. " I love You Too," a 97 minute colour - Netherlands film is the first film to be screened under this new scheme initiated by Ranjith'a Winson Films. In fact, this is the first Dutch film to be commercially screened here. It was first screened at the Netherlands Film festival held last year. The film's story is told in flashback of a virtuous young law student whose eyes are opened to real life when he is seduced by a ravishingly beautiful girl. Her behaviour is governed by primitive urges and she tries to possess men using sex as her weapon, eventually destroying the love for which she is desperately searching."This film has been a super hit in the Netherlands and I hope it would achieve success here too," Ranjith says. He has already lined several films from Sweden, Denmark, Hungary and even Latin America. "My objective is to screen good foreign films which are usually not brought here."
"Many people have requested me to screen those films again. It is very clear that there is a good demand for other films apart from main stream English, Hindi and Tamil films," he added. However, Ranjith will focus more on screening films for children. " "There are only a few films which cater to children. Therefore, I am making arrangements to bring internationally famed children's films to fill this void." " I love You Too " is directed by Ruud van Hemert and the cast comprises Antonie Kamerling, Angela Schijf and Beau van Erven Dorens. Distributed by the CEL Circuit, the film will first be screened at the New Olympia. ************** Barefeet in Motion for rebuilding Chitrasena arts centre
This will be the first fund raising project for rebuilding the Chitrasena Kalayatanaya. This one hour dance show will be presented by a group of 15 dancers. According to the organisers this is a non-conventional way of presenting fabrics. Upekha says that ever since its inception in 1944, the Chitrasena Kalayatanaya had been the cultural asram for Sri Lanka's leading artistes. It was there that likes of Chitrasena, Ananda Samarakoon, Somabandu, Amaradeva and Sunil Shantha honed their respective talents to produce such gems such as Karadiya, Aathe Kandukara and our National Anthem. The Kalayatanaya also served a greater purpose. It was a training centre where generations of young Sri Lankans learnt the basics and finer points of Sri Lankan dance, music and theatre. For the nearly 40 years of its existence, the original Chitrasena Kalayatanaya, served as the cultural epicentre for Sri Lanka's existing and emerging artists, at its height teaching over 500 students a year. A patron of the arts who leased the property to Chitrasena for a nominal fee owned the building and land on which stood the Kalayatanaya. After going from one hand to another in 1982 the land was sold to developers and the original building was demolished. Chitrasena and his students lost their home, and in many ways, their soul. Over the next 20 years, Chitrasena Vajira and their talented family held the school together by conducting classes and rehearsals in over 15 different locations. Finally, the Chitrasena - Vajira Dance Foundation has launched this project to raise funds to rebuild the Kalayatanaya thus creating a permanent facility for this national treasure in a land gifted by President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga. The land is located on the corner of Elvitigala Mawatha and Park Road. Laki Senanayake, Barbara and Dominic Sansoni, Anoma Wijewardena, S.H.Sarath, Chandraguptha Thenuwara, Jagath Weerasinghe, Shehan Madawela, Pinki Madawela, Druvinka Madawela, Rahju, Noelline Fernando, Kavin Cloughston, Anna Mullar, George Bevan, Kushan Manjusri, Rev.Sumedha, Somabandu Vidyapahi and several artists will contribute to the fund raising project. Chitrasena is now 82 years old. "We would like to rebuild the Kalayathanaya in time so that he could return home to hear drums, to provide a haven for fellow artists and a permanent home to the students who continue to learn traditional art forms from this Kalayathanaya." The art exhibition will be held at the Barefoot Gallery, Colombo 4 on March 8 and 9 (till 3.00 pm). 'Barefeet in Motion' will take place on March 8 at 8.00 pm. Nadira ************** "Arupadai" a tribute to Kalalaya School "Visvakala Bharata Sironmani" Neela and her husband Eela Nallur Sangeeta Siromani Satyalingam together with their dance troupe will perform on February 25 at 6.30 p.m. at the Bishop's College Auditorium, Colombo 3. En-route from Singapore to India to perform at Chennai and by invitation at the Shiva Rathri celebrations at the famous Chidambaram Temple, they will break journey at Colombo to give this special performance as a tribute to Neela's Alma Mater the Kalalaya School of Dance and Music, Colombo 7. The Sri Lankan born duo, internationally renowned cultural ambassadors, will be giving their first public performance in their motherland next week. Neela, nee Balendra, started her dance training at the age of four. She studied Bharata Natyam and other forms of Indian classical dances at the kalalaya under the late Kamala Johnpillai and the late Sukhendu Dutt. Kamala Johnpillai was the first Sri Lankan to graduate from the Kalakshetra College of Fine Arts, Madras and her outstanding student Neela also proceeded to Kalakshetra to obtain her diploma. It was there that Neela met her future husband Satyalingam, son of the late Mr. and Mrs. C. Suntheralingam, who was a graduate student of Carnatic Vocal Music. They both are recipients of the prestigious Bharata Kalanjali Award of Chennai and Neela was granted Distinguished Citizenship by the Republic of Singapore for her contribution towards the Arts. On Tuesday, February 25 at 6.30 p.m. they will present "Arupadai" at the Bishop's College Auditorium. This performance will be under the distinguished patronage of the Minister Milinda Moragoda and Mrs. Moragoda. The Mayor of Colombo Prasanna Gunawardena and Mrs. Dariya Gunawardena will also grace the occasion as honoured guests. ************** Ranjith Kannangara's maiden cassette
The cassette contains 12 songs and the lyrics were written by prominent lyricists Wimal Kuruppu and D. Peiris. Some of the songs in the cassette are now frequently aired on Raja FM radio and also telecast over Rupavahini. Among them are "Mage sudu neno" which has received a good response from listeners, Ranjith says. An old boy of Bandaragama Central College, Ranjith began his music career at the age of 12. He also pioneered in forming the first Western Music Band in the area. He joined the Sri Lanka Navy in 1982 and during his 12-year tenure he played drums for the Navy band. He was also a member of "Golden Fleece" and "Super Pioneers" groups. He says a CD containing same songs will also be released in the future. Ananda ************** 'Youth Core for Peace' organizes concert to celebrate peace : 'Youth Core for Peace', a group of multi-racial youth will hold a peace concert on February 22 to commemorate the first anniversary of the Ceasefire Agreement between the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE. The concert featuring Sri Lanka's top bands AOC (Absence of Colour), Independent Square, Stigmata and Kreb-S-Cycle will be held at the Vihara Maha Devi Park and the proceeds of the concert will go towards supplying desks, chairs, laboratory equipment and sports supplies to schools in the war stricken north.Planned for a three hour duration, starting at 7 p.m, the concert will open with a special presentation aimed at creating awareness among the youth about the ongoing peace process. Peace messages will be played throughout the concert. Through the concert, Youth Core for Peace will aim at raising awareness amongst the youth of the country regarding the benefits of peace by bringing attention to the number of lives that have been saved this past year and the newfound freedom, which every citizen of Sri Lanka is enjoying in the wake of peace process. "Youth Core for Peace" is founded by a group of teenagers spanning the ages of sixteen to eighteen who got together to help foster a spirit of peace and understanding among ethnic communities. The group itself is a fine example of ethnic harmony. Its members belong to different ethnic communities in the country - be it Sinhalese, Tamil, Moor or Colombo Chetty. The core members of "Youth Core for Peace" include Gajan Selverajah, Tasha Marikkar, Ruan Pethiyagoda, Anushka Nagendra and Sherazad Hamit. |
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Produced by Lake House |
Ranjith says his initiative to bring foreign films received a boost
from the public response received for several film festivals organised by
him, focusing on countries such as Netherlands, Hungary, Sweden and Czech
Republic. "Film itself is a language. Language is not a barrier.
There is a good demand here for films in different languages."
`Barefeet in Motion', a festival of fabrics presented by Upekha De
Silva, Chitrasena and her dancers and an auction of art by famous artists
of Sri Lanka in support of the rebuilding of the Chitrasena Kalayatanaya
will be held on March 8 and 9 at the Barefoot Gallery, Colombo 4.
Singer Ranjith Kannangara will release his maiden cassette "Mage
Sudu Neno" on March 1 at Maithree Hall, Bandaragama under the
patronage of Lands Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne. The ceremony will
commence at 7.00 pm.
