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SAARC Film Festival opens in May :

Showcasing the best of South Asian cinema

SAARC Cultural Centre will be hosting the SAARC Film Festival from May 11 to 15, in Colombo. Not only will the public be able to view some of the best films in the region, but there will also be an award given to the best nominated feature film at this festival by a panel of international jury from Italy, Russia and Singapore.

There will also be a special workshop organized by the SAARC Cultural Centre for the directors of these films as well as experts on the film industry. The SAARC Cultural Centre is a regional centre established based on the decision made by the Heads of State /Governments of SAARC countries to promote cultural cooperation in order to bring the people of South Asia closer and to project the distinct identity of South Asia.

In keeping with its mandate of promoting culture in the region through different modes of art, the SAARC Cultural Centre will showcase films from the region as cultural expressions at its forthcoming film festival.

The SAARC region has produced some films with a standard of excellence. The film festival will focus on promoting some of the best films featured in 2010 from all SAARC member states, inviting directors of these movies for workshops as well as recognizing the best feature film screened in 2010.

All member states of the SAARC region have been asked to send in nominations of two feature films which will be shown at the Film Festival. To date, nominations of some excellent films have been received from Bhutan, Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka.

Among the nominations received are award winning films from Bhutan, which grabbed the Winner of the Best Cultural Film at the 9th National Film Awards, 2010 ( “Chorten Kora” ) and “ Shada Semo “ Winner of the Best Film of the Year, also at the 9th National Film Awards 2010.

Pakistan has nominated two films by director Shahzad Rafique, and India has nominated a Marathi, and Bengali film.

The film Vihir, directed by Umesh Vinayak Kulkarni is a much appreciated film which won laurels at many international film festivals. Vihir is indeed a good film to watch for discerning audience. Sri Lanka too has nominated two films that have won awards, Bambara Wallala, directed by Athula Liyanage which won a Special Jury Award for Director/Best Camara Director at Houston Film Festival and Ira Handa Yata directed by Bennet Ratnayake which won Best Film at the Identities International Film Festival, and an Honourable Mention at The Los Angeles International Film Festival.

All these films plus more will be screened free of charge to the public at the National Film Corporation Theatre, equipped with its state of the art facilities.

The SAARC Film Festival is bound to be a treat to all film enthusiasts. Screenings times will be made available soon.

Hollywood honours Sri Lankan English movie

Ruwini Jayawardana

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 It’s a Matter of Love credits

Cast
* Anarkalli Aakarsha
* Saranga Dissasekara
* Lucky Dias
* Rosy Senanayake
* Irangani Serasinghe
* Vijaya Nandasiri
* Ronnie Leitch
* Corrine Almeida
* Nehara Peiris
* Keshiya Leitch

Crew
* Story, dialogs, screen play and direction: Roy de Silva
* Editor and sound designer: Praveen Jayaratne (Dil Films International Ltd)
* Assistant director: Priyantha Pathirage
* Production assistant: Sumith Prasanna
* Line producer and coordinator: Sumana Amarasinghe
* Lyrics: Sohan Weerasinghe
* Vocals: Sohan and Yasim
* Music: Shobi Perera
* Photography director: Pushpakumara Bandara Rajaguru
* Still photographer: Mahesh Nishantha
* Producers: Roy and Sumana

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Taking us back to their 1990s hit It’s a Matter of Time renowned filmmaking couple Roy de Silva and Sumana Amerasinghe have returned with the sequel to their maiden English movie.

Titled It’s a Matter of Love, the movie premiered in Los Angeles, USA, at Vista cinema amid a large gathering early this year. It’s a Matter of Love is the first Sri Lankan film to raise its curtains in Hollywood.

Among the series of events arranged for the star couple’s month-long US tour was a felicitation ceremony to pay tribute to their services to the industry. The programme was organized by Keith Ranga and a couple of other US-based Sri Lanakans. Ranga had debuted into acting via Roy’s movies.

A documentary comprising old film songs featuring Roy and Sumana was screened at the beginning of the event. USA Western States Sri Lankan Consul General, Sri Lankan Presidential Chief Coordinator on USA, Oceanside City Mayor, California, Mayor to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA, Jeff M Goonewardena handed the tokens of tribute: the awards and certificate, to the filmmaking duo before their latest movie began to roll.

“The feedback is very encouraging. They were impressed by the movie because it embodied witty dialogs, good acting and correct pronunciation. I chose my actors with care and made sure that each got into the skin of the character. We wanted to do a quality project which can be screened in foreign countries. Therefore we were cautious about the grammar and pronunciation,” Roy explained on how he left no stone unturned on ensuring that It’s a Matter of Love delivered the best.

Interestingly, after the screening, Warner Bros distribution director Anuraj Gunatileke had approached Roy and Sumana and discussed about purchasing the movie.

“Nearly 400 Sri Lankan and US moviegoers watched the film. They were especially thrilled with Vijaya Nandasiri’s character. They even invited me to do a movie using US talent,” Roy noted.

Among the new faces in the movie is Keshiya, the daughter of actor and musician Ronnie Leitch. She had acted in English stage plays and hosted television programmes. Corrine Almeida also makes her entrance to cinema through It’s a Matter of Love. Speaking about his experience in the movie scene Roy said that fans still vie after comedy films.

“Comedy films are a separate genre. Filmmakers need to pinpoint the comic element when making a comedy film. In most cases sequels flop because of this confusion. Part two of Re Denial Daval Miguel was more successful than the first. My movies have set records at the box office during the time that cricket fever was at its height and when they were screening award winning films like Titanic. I have portrayed the characters of the hero, heroine and villain in different light in projects like Cheerio Doctor, Cheerio Captain and Cheerio Darling. Film halls had to be constantly renovated to welcome movie buffs who flocked to see my films. Negombo Royal Cinema even installed a generator after one of my films began screening there,” he said.

Referring to the new wave of graphical images which have made their way to local productions Roy said, “We have done movies which demand use of such advanced techniques in the past but it was rather difficult to capture these moments on camera. You have to be careful on matters like seeing if the camera is focused on the right angle during a double acting scene. We are in agitation even after the shooting to see if the actions match the scene. If not we will have to start all over again,” he said.

It’s a Matter of Love will hit local cinemas in June. Roy and Sumana are also hoping to take the film to UK and France.

Timothy: you remain cherished

Sachitra Mahendra

Timothy Weeraratne had photography in his genes. In fact he was born in such environs.

Nandies Weeraratne was the first photographer to launch a studio in Uva province. That was way back in 1919. Decades later in 1937 a junior joined his family. His wife gave birth at his home annexed to the studio. The baby was named Timothy.

My first teacher was my father, Timothy used to disclose in his talks with the press. He too chose the path, and went a little beyond inheritance. Later in his life Timothy became a film director, but he never sat out the maiden profession: photography.

Little Timothy had seen the way his father handle photography equipment with such tender and delicate care. Those were the days when you had to bank on your own knowledge. ‘Digital’ was only a fantasy back then.

But times evolved as Timothy grew up to be an elder and a dab hand in the field. He was lucky to witness the digital era of photography. The digitized photography, he believed, gives immense freedom to the photographer to use eye.

A sharp eye must be able to play out what it spots, anytime, anywhere.

He never went behind a subject. Most of his pictures were shot on the fly. Timothy had a few rules of thumb: occasion, some incident and appropriate lighting.

Timothy snapped celebrities – both popular actresses and serious personalities – natural occasions and ancient places. A few years ago he was passionately revealing his hopes to launch a wildlife exhibition. Popular actresses such as Sangeetha Weeraratne and Kanchana Mendis as well as serious personalities such as Dr Lester James Peries and Prof Sunil Ariyaratne posed for his pictures.

The actresses brightened up with more colours added, while serious personalities were infused with the most suitable mode of depth: black and white. Those pictures were simple in essence, yet their beauty was unmistakable or rather inimitable.

Even at seventies photography remained fresh for him. Despite the threat of ageing, Timothy still rolled with exhibitions, posing for press talks flashing his contagious smile. On cinema Timothy always preferred to put himself in the way of the middle, avoiding two extremes: artistic and commercial.

When a filmmaker treads on the middle way he has the attention of the audience’s majority.

Good bye Timothy, you continue to charm us with your art. It will remain cherished for good and all!

Short film competition

Applications are being called for the annual short film competition organized by the National Film Corporation.

The application and document stating the rules of the event can be obtained at the NFC premises or through mail. Mail a Rs 50 Money Order addressed to The Chairman, National Film Corporation along with a stamped and self-addressed envelope. Torrington should be mentioned as the paying office. The applications should be submitted to the Sectional Head, cinema cultural section, National Film Corporation, No 303, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7. The closing date of application is May 31.

Rio enters cinemas

Rio is a 3-D animation feature from the makers of the Ice Age films. Set in the magnificent city of Rio de Janeiro and the lush rainforest of Brazil, the comedy-adventure centers on Blu, a rare macaw who thinks he is the last of his kind. When Blu discovers there’s another and that she’s a she he leaves the comforts of his cage in small town Minnesota and heads to Rio.

But it’s far from love at first sight between the domesticated and flight-challenged Blu and the fiercely independent, high-flying female, Jewel.

Unexpectedly thrown together, they embark on an adventure of a lifetime, where they learn about friendship, love, courage, and being open to life’s many wonders. Rio brings together a menagerie of vivid characters, a heart-warming story, colorful backdrops, energizing Latin and contemporary music, and family-friendly song and dance.

Rio will begin unspooling at Liberty cinema from April 27.

Felicitating veterans

Nipuni Wimalapala

A special felicitation ceremony will be held at the National Film Corporation cinema hall on April 29 to pay tribute to the senior artistes who have done yeoman service to the cinema industry.

The event is organized by Swarna Lanka Star Services Foundation together with Swarna Lanka Foundation. Popular artistes Arjun Kamalanath, Vinoja Nilanthi, Kusum Chandra Gamage, R P Tissa, Calistos Samarathunga and many others have arranged the event. NFC Chairman Kumar Abeysinghe supports the event.

Speaking at the event Arjun Kamalanath said that it is the industry’s responsibility to honour senior artistes of yesteryear.

“They have done much to the local cinema screen. Their talent is timeless and they worked hard to breathe life into many memorable characters which we have enjoyed at cinema theatres. However once they fade from the limelight or from life they are forgotten by the people who have been mesmerized by the roles they had projected on the reel,” he said.

The team has chosen 50 artistes to be felicitated at the event.

Around 21 of them have never received an award in their life and 19 more have not been given due credit. Eight artistes are facing a lot of difficulties due to their age and living status.

Some big names included in the list are Roy de Silva, Stanley Perera, Anula Karunaratne, Harun Lantra and D R Nanayakkara. Awards for the artistes who had passed away will be handed over to family members.

One main difficulty is that the committee is unable to contact some of the family members of these veteran artistes. They also invite the public to take part in the event.