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| Saturday, 20 March 2004 |
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Film review: Sooriya Arana - a tale of compassion and universal love As Sooriya Arana unfolds on the screen we are taken to a landscape
where the primitive man dwells. This isolated forest becomes the backdrop
for a dramatic encounter of an elderly The thematic content evolves throughout the narrative revealing the noble qualities of compassion for all animals and love for the forest. The clumsy and wild nature of the hunter is portrayed in contrast to the calm and compassionate Bhikku and the little Samanera. This Bhikku has to undergo many hardships as Sediris the hunter is determined to drive him away from the jungle abode. We find that the narrative element is thin, structured on a style closer to documentary, devoting more time to emphasis on the picturesque environment. The film maker makes extensive use of the hunter's son Tikira and the little priest Sumedha playing together in sprouts, streams and pools. The wide expanses of water, boulders and foliage gives the impression of freedom they enjoy. These scenes cover a very large area of physical geography overlooking time and space relationship. However much the Bhikku advises, the hunter is unable to refrain from killing. The film maker looks at the hunter in terms of survival. This unruly man has his own convictions. All in all Suriya Arana is refreshing. It has quite smoothly departed from the usual trend of the Sinhala film, making a prudent selection for the theme. It is under certain circumstances that the hunter has become what he is. Naturally he will go for the next possible way of survival. We are made to listen to many long dialogues in several instances where the Bikkhu talks to the hunter, in his effort to persuade him to give up hunting. This Bikkhu appears as a Aranyawasi, but according to the film he has little time for practising meditation. We often find him engaged in other matters. In general, film is fiction; here the director has been able to make it convincing which is no doubt a difficult task. It has an appeal for all ages, and its popularity shows that it is really not necessary to have the crude 'commercial' formula. Simplicity, charm, humanity and nature interwoven cleanly has made this successful achievement. Yet in the way of presentation I feel that the audience becomes only an observer. This lack of inner involvement does not touch the serious filmgoer. During the past decade we have seen a number of good films that were received by the audience well. These are the films that bring refined taste and widen our horizons. It is also where the film-maker as an artist contributes to the well-being of the society. Though film is a partial illusion, Suriya Arana gives the impression of real life. Reading between its lines one sees our culture and truth. This subject matter is something very important to us today. The society is so confused and attracted by the glittering commercial aspects, they are unable to grasp the reality of life. It is quite interesting to note how a Sinhala movie has been produced on the theme of compassion and universal love, when most of our films still go for silly jokes and rotten love stories. - Chandana Silva. ###### Prasanna Vithanage film festival in Canada
The festival which first began from Ottawa will be screened in other cities such as Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver. This festival which is the first of this kind by a Sri Lankan filmmaker in Canada has been organised by the Canadian Film Institute and Sri Lankan High Commission in Canada. Among the films scheduled to be screened are Death on a Full Moon Day, Walls Within, Dark Night of the Soul and Ice on Fire.
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Produced by Lake House |
Bhikku and a hunter. The hunter
whose lifestyle closely resembles that of the primitive man is unable to
comprehend what the Bhikku says. The Bhikku who has gained wisdom through
a philosophy more than 2,500 years old tries to explain the righteous way
of living with great patience and compassion.
'Prasanna Vithanage in Retrospective', a festival featuring films
directed by Prasanna is now being held in Canada.
