Sudath Mahadivulwewa's directorial debut:

Kalu Sudu Saha Alu on the silver screen soon

SUDATH Mahadivulwewa's first feature film Kalu Sudu Saha Alu (Shades of Ash) will commence screening from the end of this month.

The film which had its world premiere at the Gotheborg Film Festival 2004, Sweden, portrays the brutality of war. Sudath says the film's theme is "what is terrifying is not war, but the hour that dawns when it ends".

The film revolves around a community of survivors who return to their village, which they abandoned many months ago following a ruthless massacre of their kith and kin and the destruction of the total infrastructure of their village in a terrorist attack.

They return with nothing but their souls to a place where only memories remain. The film narrates how they rebuild their lives and homes while compromising with the newly emerged socio-economic culture that had been nurtured within the 'business' of war and peace.

This re-settlement programme is the result of a concentrated effort by the Government to restore the normal lives of the people affected by war. The village lake has been poisoned by extremists. It has already taken the lives of several well-meaning and innocent individuals.

Therefore, the residents have to bring water from outside by a water bowser on a regular basis. Two men arrive in this village dominated by anxiety, poverty and mortal fear.

One of them is the new headmaster of the village school who has been transferred to this village due to political vengeance while other is an army deserter.

A woman called "NGO nona", an agent from a Non-Governmental Organization, also comes to this village. She is dressed in a modern manner and wears shades.

The film goes on to depict how the lives of these villagers change amidst poverty and reasons beyond their control.

Sudath noted that the primary focus of this film is on the personal human tragedy brought about by the war, which is set against the backdrop of wider issues, thus enabling a deeper discourse to take place within and without the country.

The storyline of the film has been developed after extensive research which was carried out in the border areas by the script writers, the director and producer, who were assisted by some university academics.

Sudath says the cast includes 14 key role players and nearly 200 extras. One of the largest sets ever constructed in Sri Lankan film history - a whole village - has been built on the site of an actual border village in the war zone of the North Central Province of Sri Lanka.

The film stars Sanath Gunathilaka, Sriyantha Mendis, Irangani Serasinghe, Jayalath Manoratne, Mahendra Perera, Dilhani Ekanayake, Madusanka Mendis, Koshila Jayawardena, Tyron Michel and Wasantha Kotuwella.

The film's producer is Dr. Krishan Deheragoda while the Executive Producer is Ariyasheela Wickramanayake. The camera director is Ruwan Costa while music was directed by Dr. Premasiri Khemadasa.

Sudath began his career as an advertising copywriter and worked with many internationally known agencies. In his first television drama series, Wood & Fire he explores the root causes of the ethnic conflict that devastated the country.

In the epic television series Vanaspathy, he explores environmental issues and cultural disintegration. In his third tele-film series, Manukakapura, he tackles the subjects of environment and population. His first film was a documentary based on the Gypsy community of Sri Lanka.