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| Saturday, 9 August 2003 |
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Amaranath's latest movie A new dawn for Sinhala cinema
Veteran film director Amaranath Jayatilaka will come to the limelight in the local cinema after nearly one decade with his latest film 'Bheeshanaye Athuru Kathawak' (A drop in the reign of terror) which will be screened from August 29. The film, based on a best selling novel by the well-known novelist Nihal P. Jayatunga, focuses on the 1987 - 90 terror period during which thousands of people disappeared and lost their lives. The film was screened at the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) in Netherlands in January this year. The IFFR is a specialised film festival which supports sales promotions of movies from developing countries for the worldwide market. Amaranath says this is the story of two families hit by the disappearance of a member of one family. It is symbolic of the events that engulfed the country in flames of terror. Most families whose father, brother or son 'disappeared', faced a calamity that no words could properly explain. With the breadwinner mercilessly snatched from their midst, they saw a bleak future. "Nobody has touched this issue so far," Amaranath says, explaining why he chose the theme. Amaranath prefers to make films with different themes. "I wanted to select a different theme and this was a historically important era as well." His last film Yuwathipathi (Man and Wife) focusing on sex education was screened in 1994. This is Amaranath's 10th film. He has won many prestigious awards for his films including the internationally acclaimed "Arunata Pera" (Before the Dawn - 1985). His first film Adarawanthayo (Lovers) was screened in 1968. Amaranath observed that this period of anarchy in Sri Lankan political history was for some individuals a readymade background for settling old scores as well. It provided an opportunity to take revenge in a way that showed no mercy as hired goons perpetrated brutal crimes on behalf of their masters.
The film unfolds with the sudden disappearance of Somadasa - a school principal. His eldest son Panduka (Maduranga Chandheemal), determined to find the abductors of his father becomes a journalist.Mrs. Somadasa fervently hoping for her husband's return someday, lives in anticipation all the time. The film then goes on to portray civil life in the period and how their lives change amidst these social calamities. The film stars Cleetus Mendis, Nita Fernando, Vishaka Siriwardena, Anushka Nilanjanie Ekanayake, Nirosha Lakmali, Dinendra Ratnayaka, Miyuri Samarasinghe and Sandun Wijesiri. The film which will be screened on the NFC - MPI combined circuit has been produced by the 100 percent loan scheme under the Film Development Fund of the National Film Corporation. The film's screenplay is also by Amaranath while the cinematographer is Lal Wickremarachchi. The Art Director is Kamal Abeyratna. Elmo Halliday edited the movie, while Priyanjith Wijesekera directed music. ########## Call for a common State Drama Festival The State Drama Festival (second round) is now on at the Tower Hall, Colombo and the curtain will come down on August 14. Around 27 Sinhala stage dramas will be staged during this period. But it is very strange that no Tamil or English dramas will be staged. Parakrama Niriella, Chairman of the Sinhala Drama Sub Committee said that since he was appointed, he has been trying to find out why Tamil dramas were not included at the festival. He could not find a satisfactory answer. "Since I was appointed I tried to include Tamil and Muslim dramas at the State Drama Festival. The Tamil Drama Sub Committee informed me that they had not completed work on the Tamil Drama Festival held in 2002 and they were yet to hold the award ceremony. That was the answer I got as reasons for not participating at the festival this year. "But I have gone a step further. Since I became the Chairman of the Sub Committee I got a Tamil translation of the Constitution that governs the Committee and gave it to them for their consideration. I have also proposed that we should have a Common State Drama Festival so that we can share and benefit from the funds and such activity would promote a healthy atmosphere to live sharing our interest as artistes in one county. This has been accepted and I am confident that we will be able to hold a state drama festival with Tamil and Muslims taking part in it," he said. "We as artistes want to have a common front. The members of the Tamil and Muslim Sub Committee are also keen that we come together. We have no bias, no barriers among us. But what is necessary is that the government and the Cultural Ministry play a bigger role in promoting programs of this nature and make all feel that we are equal. "We are also very much encouraged to pursue the idea of holding a common festival after fruitful discussions with drama enthusiasts in the North and the East. These Tamils have a sense of culture and drama," he added. The State Drama Festival originated in 1959, during a period of renaissance of Sinhala culture. In 1959, the first ever State Drama Festival was held from January 3 to 11 at the Lumbini Hall, Havelock Town. There had been no such festival until 1976. Leading figures at the 1976 State Drama Festival included personalities like Bandula Jayawardene, Susil Siriwardene, Kumar Rupasinghe, Wimal Dissanayake, Tissa Kariyawasam, Kailasapathy and Sivathamby. There were Sinhala and Tamil stage dramas on stage. But since then, there had been no such common festival. There had been Sinhala and Tamil drama festivals separately, though not on a regular basis. - E. Weerapperuma |
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