Sumithra:

A happy union of imagery and powerful
story-telling

BY PRASAD Abu Bakr

"I RATHER work within imagery and emotion than dabble in raw realism" says the recipient of the award for The Best Film at last year's Sarasaviya Film Festival, for her last creative exercise 'Sakman Maluwa'.

Stepping in to seek a path in an industry that was totally run by men, 'technically' speaking, Sumithra Peiris worked as a technician in the film industry more out of fanning a passion to excel in her trained work rather than compete with her male counterparts at that time.

"Though I drew an edge over Titus Thotawatte, who by that time had worked as the editor for my husband's earlier project 'Rekhawa' as I stepped in to partly finance 'Gamperaliya' taking over the responsibility of editing it in return," explaining that otherwise she would never have made it as a female technician which was something novel at the time.

Gamperaliya also brought her the first ever award in her life for her editing skills at the maiden Sarasaviya Film Festival in 1964.

So in a way Sumithra's education at The London School Of Film Technology paid her rich dividends at the onset of her career, not only here at home but also worldwide, as Gamperaliya was acclaimed and applauded at major film festivals and discussed for its content and presentation amongst some of the best critics at the time.

Going back in the years when she first decided to direct films Sumithra corrects a notion that has remained on many persons' minds that she was the first woman to do so.

"Even though the fact remains that I was qualified to enter the profession, both actresses Ruby de Mel and Florida Jayalath had produced one film each by the time I made my move," she said candidly.

Talking further on her films, Sumithra states that she prefers to make films that can contribute as statements to humane issues rather than grapple with social problems at large where human being seize to lose its very soul transforming them into unpleasant characters that become unmanageable in the hands of an artist such as hers who has always treated her characters with a lot of sympathy.

"I also firmly believe that artistes should retain a certain sense of style in their work if they are to evolve in this profession". This probably can give one's career a sense of stability besides recognition and this is very true in the case of Sumithra Peiris.

Talking of contemporary cinema and specially television she stated that a lot of sacrifices are made by directors on the stance of financial gain. "This can cripple one's style and limit ones expression of imagery and I will never compromise on that at the cost of my values".

Her learning came mostly at an early age by viewing good cinema in Colombo during those days. "There were many new wave movies by excellent directors shown here, unlike at present," accentuating on the many Hindi films that make their way into the country.

She confessed that she has been witness to only two films Ashoka and Devdas.

"Lester and I had already viewed Devdas on video by that time but I was surprised by the magnitude of this new version"

Touching more on the subject, she said how productions by Bimal Roy and Raj Kumar became perennial favourites in the annals of time. "However the present Bollywood cinema leaves me cold."

Switching back to Sakman Maluwa which she said fascinated her on its first reading.

"Though people saw only what was on as its surface the film had more in ways of human relationships and life's pleasantries which were presented in form of decorative detail," even though the book brings upon to blame its leading female character Prema, the young wife played by actress Kanchana Mendis, for making her already fragile marriage slip into estrangement.

But as Sumithra developed the contents of the short novel into a film script quite unconsciously the blame was shifted towards Tissa, Prema's mature husband played by actor Sanath Gunatileke.

This fact was pointed out to her by no other than the author Godfrey Gunatilleke in the event of discussing the film at a later stage.

As a director Sumithra has worked mostly with actors Sanath Gunatilleke and Vasanthi Chaturani besides Tony Ranasinghe, Swarna Mallawarachchi, Nadeeka Gunasekara and a stream of other players.

In viewing her movies her penchant to be able to narrate stories in the medium of film in a style that had withstood the test of time is applaudable.

Her technique is sans frills and unnecessary drama, taking the viewer through a movie going experience which is unique but is fast seizing to exist in contemporary terms.

As a parting shot I asked her if there was one personal favourite piece of work she admired of her famous husband? "Parallels can be drawn between Nidhanaya and Gamperaliya but the latter sits on top of my personal list," said Sumithra of Lester's work.

.................................

<< back to Main Page