Recollections of a movie maven

Doyen of Sri Lankan cinema turns 91 today :

Ruwini Jayawardana

********-------

[Filmography]

* 1956 - Rekawa (Line of Destiny)
* 1960 - Sandesaya (The Message)
* 1963 - Gamperaliya (The changing Village)
* 1966 - Delovak Athara (Between Two Worlds)
* 1967 - Ran Salu (The Yellow Robe)
* 1968 - Golu Hadawatha (Silent Heart)
* 1970 - Akkara Paha (Five Acres of Land)
* 1972 - Nidhanaya (The Treasure)
* 1975 - Desa Nisa (The Eyes)
* 1976 - The God King
* 1976 - Madol Duwa (Enchanted Island)
* 1978 - Ahasin Polawata (White flowers for the Dead)
* 1978 - Veera Puran Appu
* 1981 - Pinhami
* 1981 - Baddegama (The Village in the Jungle)
* 1983 - Kaliyugaya (The Time of Kali)
* 1985 - Yuganthaya (End of an Era)
* 1995 - Awaragira (The Sunset)
* 2002 - Wekande Walauwa (Mansion by the Lake)
* 2006 - Amma Warune (An Elergy for a Mother)

Sri Lanka's prolific filmmaker Dr. Lester James Peries turns 91 today. He who had dedicated his life and time into changing the line of destiny in cinema now spends his twilight years in his room leafing through books.

Here are excerpts of an interview with his life companion, Sumitra Peries, another immensely gifted movie director, on her memories with the living legend.

"He was commitment to the industry when he was either making films, reading about them or discussing them. He reads anything and everything and we have a tendency to crosstalk while we read. He is also interested in music and spares a moment to strum upon the piano. Whatever he does, he does it with a lot of concentration. He would take hours to read a newspaper while I would glance through the headlines and put it aside if I did not find it interesting. It is amazing how widely read he is because he might read an autobiography while turning to Chomsky on economics, Arthur C. Clarke on Science Fiction or books on subjects like syntax, landscaping or film," Sumitra shed light on the passing days of the iconic film director.

Queried if Dr. Peries had by anyway inspired her to turn film director, she said that the assumption is not necessarily true.

She started off wanting to make documentaries while cruising in a yacht with her brother. When they reached France she decided to turn to feature films.

By a chance meeting she encountered Dr. Peries who was on a tour of the country with his maiden feature film Rekhawa (Line of Destiny). He encouraged her to study at the London School of Film Technique.

After three years she returned to her roots and began working as an assistant and photographer in Dr. Peries' Sandeshaya (The Message). "It was a tough life with hardly any pay but one never though of it in that manner during that period. You just took the challenge as it comes. It has been my motto and maybe his as well," she added with a laugh while recalling some of the wearisome episodes the duo had to encounter while engaging in shooting.

After marriage in 1964 they both worked together in one of his most renowned work Gamperaliya. (Changes in the Village) where Sumitra worked as both assistant director and editor.

She noted: "I think I earned my right to take over the task because he would not have had the confidence to entrust it on a newcomer. That got me the first Sarasaviya Award."

The movie even clinched the Golden Peacock at the Grand Prix International Film Festival in India and the Golden Head of Palenque in Mexico.

"The film was a turning point in the film industry - even more than Rekhawa. As much as Rekhawa took the cameras out of the studios Gamperaliya brought the studio element into actual houses.

"It is path breaking and inspirational to generations of filmmakers that followed as they took to shooting scenes in the domestic environment. It is heartening to notice that it is still appreciated when we released it as a restored film last year. It boosted our faith in the kind of work that we do," she added. .

After Gamperaliya Sumitra edited many more of Dr. Peries' works like Delovak Athara (Between Two Worlds), Ran Salu (Yellow Robe), Golu Hadawatha (Silent Heart), Akkara Paha (Five Acres), Desa Nisa (The Eyes), The God King and Ahasin Polawata (White Flowers for the Dead).

"For me the inspiration to be committed to what you do and the joy of doing a film came from Lester," she said adding that he had even related an episode in which his father had brought him a Kodak projector as a child and how upset he was when his brother had broken it.

Speaking of the bond that they share throughout the years she says that her part had been more or less a caring companion to him. "He is very fussy about his food because he never eats chili. He preferred home cooked meals and never eats anything from outside except when he was abroad. When we look back I believe that we have spent a full life together," she concluded with a smile.