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Film Appreciation with K S Sivakumaran :
Lankan Short Films in Tamil
It is heartening to see adolescent Lankans are involved in producing
a few quality short films in Tamil. I suppose they are based in the
South of the country. We also learn that short films in Tamil have been
produced in the North and East as well. But I had not seen them. But I
did see 10 such films presented by the students of Mass Film Institute
functioning in Kotahena under the stewardship of enthusiastic director
of the institute, Nilapriyan Thowfeek, who hails from Addalachenai in
the East. These films were shown on April 23 at the National Film
Corporation (NFC) under the patronage of its Chairman, Kumar Abeysinghe.
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Ten films on focus
* Manasu (The Mind)
* Manitham (Humanism)
* Alaippu (The Calling)
* Vithi (The Fate)
* Ilakku (The Target)
* Kaal (the Leg)
* Siva (Shiva)
* Stop
*Seruppu (The Slippers) Good selection. Some titles are in
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Manasu |
These films were reasonably a good attempt in ‘cinematic’ filmmaking.
This I say because of the professionalism evident in the cinematography
and also because unlike the usual commercial Tamil films produced in
Kodambaakam (Kollywood), these short films had moving images than mere
words, words and words. Further the stories and short skits were
meaningful and portrayed slices of social life among the less fortunate
and the downtrodden.
The same people have contributed to the creation of almost all the
films in different departments: story, direction, music, camera,
technical support and the like. I couldn’t get their names while
viewing. Most of them seemed to be Lankans (Tamil, Sinhala and Muslim)
and Indian artistes.
Where language is spoken at all the Tamil is of South Indian accent.
Most Sri Lankans, including the Sinhalas who are used to seeing South
Indian Tamil films and those living in the hill country and the south of
Lanka are more familiar with the Indian usage of the language than the
style and accent of the people in the north and the east. This was one
of the reasons why full length local Tamil films did not receive
favourable responses from the mass audiences.
The first film Manasu is an ironical presentation of how subtly the
conscience would work for a thing done out of aggression. The film
succeeds in what it wants to convey.
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