Jaffna Art Centre to unite North and South

Ruwini JAYAWARDANA

The National Film Corporation together with some of the leading artistes on the country had decided to establish an Art Centre in Jaffna as a means of bringing together all the nationalities of the country.

The institute which is aimed at spotting the inborn artistic skills of individuals in the North, helping them to brush up their talent and make way for them to interact with the artistes in the South, is the brainchild of Sri Lanka’s award winning actress Malini Fonseka.

“We used to visit Jaffna three or four times a month for shooting. Actors from all four nationalities worked together to enrich and bring about the golden era of Sri Lankan cinema.

More than 30 years have passed in which our country suffered beneath the shadows of insecurity. We can see a glimmer of hope once again. The dark ages are coming to a finale and as artistes we hope to use our talent like a soothing balm to those who had suffered immensely,” she explained during the function held to initiate the Jaffna Art centre.

Speaking at the gathering veteran actor Ravindra Randeniya stated that the Art Centre will play a prominent role in closing the so called gap between the nationalists. He said that the centre will be a lasting tribute from the people in the South to those in the North.

“We see various activities carried out to help people who are displaced by the conflict.

As artistes we too look forward to doing our bit to help our fellow citizens who had seen and undergone many hardships. The hope of building a multifaceted Cultural Centre in Jaffna emerged with this need. Artistes have the power to heal divided hearts sans ethnic, religious and race.

We hope everyone will help us and give their blessing for this noble cause,” he added. The Jaffna Art Centre will comprise many new technological devices and factors including an open art theatre and a community centre. Many projects will be launched to collect funds for this program.

An advertisement related to the event was also shot to get the message across to the public.

The profit from a film screened at all the film theatres in a day will be given to the project by the NFC and colourful events like star dance shows will also be held to bring in the funds. Further details will be noted in the future.

Eastern Indian Cinema

K . S . SIVAKUMARAN

We know something about Hindi films, Thamil films and perhaps a very little of Malayaklam films. But in India there are many other language films.

We seldom speak about Eastern Indian Cinema, although sometimes we have a little knowledge of the Bengali cinema through the late Sathyajit Ray.

If we look at the map of India we would find at least three states that produce films in the respective languages of the states concerned. Although Bangla (East Bengal) is in the east we shall talk about the Bengali films later. For the present let us note some information on films made in Orissa, Assam and Manipur. These states do not make many films. Even in Lanka we don’t make many films in the Thamil language.

Some of the notable filmmakers from the eastern region of India are: Biplab Roychoudhury, A.K .Bir, Monmohan Mahapatra, Susanta Misra and Nirad Mahapatra. They are from Orissa.

The Assamese filmmakers include Dr Baben Saikia, Jahnu Barua, Sanjiv Hazorika, Charu Kamal Hazarika and Gautam Bora. Manipur filmmakers include Aribam Syam Sharma, M A Singh, K Ibohol Sharama and Oken Amakcham. Most of the films in the region depict the rural culture of the regions. Cruel treatments meted out to the tribes, the dilemma of the landowners, how politicians and interested parties marginalize the downtrodden.

Most films reveal social criticism. A K Bir, for instance portrays caste differences and what he call ‘urban cannibalism’.

Oriyan filmmakers such as Susanta Misra touch on feminism as well.

When we come to Assamese filmmakers we find that they cover not only social realities but also psychological conditions. Aesthetically speaking they are better than their counterparts in other eastern regions. How the downtrodden people are treated and how their conditions get worsened are some of the themes in such films.

Pradip Biswas, a noted film critic describing one of Dr Saikia’s film - ‘Ithihas’ -wrote that “the film deals with a few downtrodden characters of the society who are persecuted enough to lose their ‘promised land’.

The film unfolds a shadowed tale of a class of marginal women who get ‘dehumanised’ gradually and are forced to leave room for the ‘new rich’ who in the name of social status steamroller the innocent and marginal women’ by grabbing their land for raising ‘skyscrapers’.”

We shall also note what important filmmakers think of cinema. Take for instance what a film director like Bhaben Saikia expresses: “Cinema is part of life through which manifestations of my creative self get expressed as literature finds its own with ease. Cinema is no relief for me; it is cathartic agent and goads me to express anything that disturbs me and pains me”

Jahanu Barua’s films shows deep concern for those not ‘counted’ very much in the shifting milieu of the modern society opines the critic. Other film directors also have a Marxist interpretation of social imbalances. Social exploitation and class disparities are some of the themes. In Manipur cinema the preservation of the indigenous culture is focused.

Thus we see literature and art form like the cinema do a service in depicting the social realities so that injustice is brought to notice for people to think and serve as a catalyst for change.

Sivakumaranks @yahoo.com

BONJOUR CINeMA 2009 in Colombo

Ruwini JAYAWARDANA

‘Bonjour Cinema 2009’, a.k.a. the festival du film Francophone, will take place for its sixth successful year at the BMICH from March 21 to 25. Two films from aspiring young filmmakers from Belgium, Canada, France, Romania and Switzerland will be shown during the event.

A specialty concerning this year’s festival is the fact that some children’s films have been included. ‘Bled Number One’, a French film based on the theme of immigration, will open the film festival on March 20 at 7 p.m.

It bagged the Prix de la jeunesse award at the 59th Film Festival in Cannes. ‘Bled Number One’ will be screened only for invitees while the rest of the films will be screened free of charge.

‘Hop’, a movie directed by Dominique Standaert and revolving around a the relationship between father and son and Jaco Van Dormael’s ‘Toto Le Heros’ centering on a story of a boy who was convinced that he was switched at birth is Belgium’s contribution towards this year’s film festival.

Belgium which contributed many well loved creations like Tin Tin, Asterix and the Smurfs to the literary scene, will bring Olivier Ringer’s ‘Pom Le Poulain’, a touching tale of a mare and her foal for the children’s film category.

Canada’s contribution to ‘Bonjour Cinema 2009’ is Maryanne Zehil’s ‘De Ma Fenetre Sans Maison’ and Fernand Dansereau’s ‘La Brunante’ along with the kids movie Brian Duschere’s ‘Nico La Taupe’. Each of their creations highlights diversity of the cultural background of the country.

From France comes ‘Les Temoins’ by Andre Techine which was also presented at the Berlin Film Festival ion 2006.

The story explores fidelity, isolation and love while Benoit Cohen’s ‘Qui M’aime Me Suive’, another French movie reveals how far a person will venture to pursue a dream.

France’s children movies, Jacques-Remy Girard’s ‘La Prophetie Des Grenouilles’ a similar tale to Noah’s Ark on which humans and animals embark on a marvellous adventure during the floods and ‘U’, a story about an orphan princess are also a part of the film festival. .

‘Dupa Ea’ by Cristina Lonescu and ‘Logodnicii Din America’ by Nicolae Margineanu, two Romanian adult only films will be screened on March 23 and 25. Jacob Berger’s ‘Une Journee’ featuring a day in the life of a family and Fredric Choffat’s ‘La Vraie Vie Est Ailleurs’ portraying three stories and three journeys are the two films from Switzerland which will take part in ‘Bonjour Cinema’. ‘Globi’ by Robi Engler is the Swiss Children’s film about a rock musician which will unspool at the BMICH.

All the films are subtitled in English. The event is presented by the Alliance Francaise along with the high commissions of the countries taking part.

Sihina Devduwa to visit cinemas soon

Suresh Kumarasinghe’s new movie, Sihina Devduwa will begin screening at theatres soon . The story, set in the backdrop of a triangular love affair, also deals with a gang of murders on the trail of a girl.

The movie stars Saliya Sathyajith, Vinu Veththamuni, Thesara Jayawardena, Indika Fernando, Rex Kodippili, Rajitha Hiran, Melani Asoka, Premadasa Withanage, sudesh Wasantha Peiris, Wasantha Kumarawila, Wasanthi Weththamuni, Roy Fernando, Sanju Samarasinghe, Harshani Kalum Kumari and Surangi Punchihewa.

Vishva is a university student. He decided to spend his holidays at his uncle’s bungalow. Rochelle is the daughter of Vishva’s uncle and she is attracted by him. However he has eyes only for her friend, a former batch mate named Natasha.

Meanwhile is caught in her own dilemma.

She is being pursued by a gang of murders as she was the only eye-witness to one of their underworld activities.

Vishva and Rochelle unexpectedly finds themselves tangled in a web of danger as the murders define their connection with Natasha. The story and script of the movie is also by director Suresh Kumarasinghe.

Lalith M. Thomas is the cameraman, Manoj Kumar Selvaraj the make up artist, Victor Loyd the hair dresser, P. Nandakumar the dance director, Lahiru Priyashan Ratnayake the production executive and Keerthi Lasan the art director for the movie.

The fight director is Dhammika Pushpakumara while the sound controlling is done by Lionel Gunaratne. Asela Indralal is the music director and Kumarasiri de Silvs is the editor.

Asela Indralal, Sumith Vanniarachchi and Suresh Kumarashinghe penned the lyrics for the song sung by Anjaline Gunatileke, Greshan Ananda, Vinu Veththamuni, Suresh Wasantha Peiris, Jeevan Handunneththi and Niluka David. The film is produced by Vinu Veththamuni on behalf of Vinu Films.

RJ

DiCaprio lined up for science fiction thriller

Leonardo DiCaprio is to star in a new science-fiction film being shot by “The Dark Knight” director Christopher Nolan, entertainment industry reports said Wednesday.

DiCaprio, 34, whose most recent film was the drama “Revolutionary Road,” is in final negotiations for the film, titled “Inception,” Daily Variety reported.

Details of the film’s plot have been kept tightly under wraps but reports described the film as a contemporary science-fiction movie set within the architecture of the mind.

DiCaprio will next be seen in the thriller “Shutter

Island,” his fourth collaboration with director Martin Scorsese.

AFP