Ben VS Ben

Hollywood Titans lock horns in Lankan movie :

Ruwini JAYAWARDANA

When news started floating about spotting Sir Ben Kingsley in town, it took the entire nation by storm. It was not just because the Hollywood icon had stepped into Sri Lanka for a visit or a holiday but because this was the first time that a Sri Lankan director would be directing an Oscar winner in a local production.

The director who calls the shots is Chandran Rutnam. He tasted success with his previous movie Alimankada (The Road from Elephant Pass) which won him honours at the 2011 New York International Television and Film Awards.

A Common Man is based on an Indian film that Rutnam had seen some time back. The plot features an attempt by terrorists to blow up Colombo. Kingsley takes on the role of the terrorist.

“The movie projects frustrations embodied by any average person. It has a universal theme and is not restricted to Sri Lanka though the entire film was shot here. It is timely especially after the recent bombings in Mumbai and Oslo. It is a confrontation between the common man who decides to take matters into his own hands and the policeman who is trying to stop him,” Rutnam opined on his film.

According to Rutnam the decision to cast Sri Ben Kinsley for the lead had come out of the blue. While discussing the script with his team, Kingsley’s name had been nominated by a member. They had been taken by the idea but had not believed it possible to get the actor for the project. Many other names had been nominated later but the magical picture of seeing Kingsley in the shoes of the protagonist refused to fade away. They simply had to cast the actor to make the film work.

After sending the script to Los Angeles Rutnam had gotten a call from Kingsley at 3 am one day. The actor had expressed his enthusiasm to work in the film. He had also added that the script is so well written that he would not change one word.

“A lot of things attracted me to the role. It was part logistics, part good luck and part instinct. I felt that there was much that I could do with the character. The screenplay was beautifully written, very well constructed and a great piece of character-driven and narrative-driven drama. It is exactly what we need now,” the Academy Award winning actor of Gandhi fame said.

Similar to the story of A Common Man, taking part in the film was a matter of timing for Kingsley.

He said, “When I looked at my 2011 calendar it was packed and there was no room for an extra film. Fortunately what actually looks like two months’ work on the page was reduced to a shorter span by Rutnam. He is very generous with his information. He allowed his team to participate in telling the story. I have a relationship with the soundman and the cameraman because I know that the close-up is a massively powerful narrative device. I know when to raise my voice or make it extremely intimate when speaking. I could convey all these signals to the director, knowing that they are so in touch with the director. They integrate their efforts into the bigger picture and the result is traffic.”

Though Kingsley had set aside 10 days for his Sri Lankan shoot the team had been able to wrap up his scenes in eight days. Speaking about his role in the film he said that the ordinary man is capable of extraordinary acts when he is cornered by history or fate.

“My character is cornered by circumstance and feels the urge to do something. I also believe that the man feels that, if he doesn’t do it, no one else will. He has lost faith in the machinery that is supposed to protect us and takes the law into his hands,” he explained.

The other Hollywood biggie to act in the film is Chariots of Fire actor Ben Cross. He is donning the avatar of a police officer in the film.

“I was about halfway through the script and I was predicting the ending of the tale. But then there was this wonderful twist that really elevated it into an area totally unexpected. From that moment I was intrigued because it meant that the motivations of every character in the film was something different and much more interesting,” Cross said.

He notes that he had never met Kingsley nor worked with him before. He dubbed the actor a ‘wealth of experience’ and ‘the consummate professional’.

“Between us we have made an awful lot of films,” he said.

Looking back on his experiences of directing the two ‘Bens’ Rutnam said that it was very easy directing them because they were focused and knew their stuff.

“Kingsley was very well prepared for his role. He was very serious while Cross was very relaxed. However at the end of the shoot Kingsley was more relaxed than Cross. They both became good friends. I feel very lucky to be able to direct Hollywood actors of this calibre,” the director said, adding that he thoroughly believes that Kingsley’s performance deserves an Oscar nomination.

The story unfolds in about 12 hours. The clock is ticking and time is running out… Such features bring Kiefer Sutherland starrer, the popular television series 24 to mind.

“Whenever you make a film with a timeline, it adds excitement. There have been several films of this nature. The characters are established in 24 while I had to take time to introduce my characters before the action starts. Our tag line is ‘a common man – pushed to the limit’. We have addressed issues of terrorism and how it should be eradicated,” Rutnam said.

Another key role in A Common Man is a young news reporter played by Numaya Siriwardena. She is the go between, linking the two main characters with one another. Actors Patrick Rutnam from New York and Fredrick James Lubato from Australia, both of whom are from Sri Lankan parentage, acted in the film.

“I needed some fresh faces for the film. These artistes are armed with acting experience. For me, the script comes first. I would never start a project if I am not satisfied with the script. Having worked with David Lean in The Bridge on the River Kwai I have learnt to stick by my script.

“Going on the sets with a rough idea on what you are going to do is a costly technique that some directors employ. Lean and Steven Spielberg are highly disciplined in film-making. I have learnt these aspects from them,” said Rutnam.

A co-production between Hollywood and Sri Lanka, A Common Man is poised for a worldwide distribution. Manohan Nanayakkara, B S Radhakrishnan and Paul Mason are the producers. The film is going through editing these days. Rutnam is already planning his next, a 3D film based on Toomai of the Elephants, a short story in Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book. He hopes to employ Hollywood actors to voice the characters.

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‘It is hard to define without making generalizations. I don’t believe that there is a hidden agenda. What you see is what you get and that is very important when you are making a film. I shared a marvelous experience in shooting for A Common Man’

- Kingsley

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‘This is my first time in Sri Lanka. It has been an incredible experience for me. I was very impressed by the commitment and dedication of the crew. Working with them is a wonderful memory that I would take back with me.’

- Cross

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VOTE graduates

Ishara JAYAWARDANE

Dubbed the biggest short film festival in Sri Lanka by ONAIRWORLD, this year’s VOTE Short Film Festival is named The Graduation. It is a novel event with no restrictions imposed on the artistes because they are not subjected to any given theme or time limitation in their productions.

This is to promote freethinking and curiosity. Artistes have been given the privilege of selecting their own theme and to present more than one production.

With the development and advance of technology, visual imagery is being effectively used to convey new concepts. This is clearly seen in the production of modern day short films. However these films are not adequately circulated amongst the public at large and also there is no sufficient appreciation of the artistes who are involved in these creations.

“With the advent of technology, through social networks like the internet, lots of creators have the opportunity to display their creations. Facebook and YouTube are some drives which allow budding young film-makers to showcase their work. We are proud to say that during the last three years 10 creators have been recognised and one of them was chosen for a workshop in France. These individuals have excelled in the film industry,” said ONAIR WORLD Director Nimal Lakshapathiarachchi.

He added, “We are very careful not to hurt the morale of those who send in short films. Our objective is to give people a platform to display their talents. We respect the right of expression even more than the creation itself.”

Dialog TV Citi Hitz Channel will give the artistes the opportunity to launch their creations nationally and internationally. Certificates will be handed over and applications are available to be filled online for the competition.

The VOTE Short Film Festival: The Graduation provides a unique opportunity to those who are involved in film production. For more details contact (+94) 11 7217631.

Sumathi Films’ 35th anniversary festivities

Ruwini JAYAWARDANA

Marking 35 years since the late U W Sumathipala set up Sumathi Films, the U W Sumathipala Memorial Foundation celebrated the occasion by felicitating all those who contributed towards making one of their ground-breaking film Ahasin Polowata (White Flowers for the Dead) at the Sri Sambuddhathva Jayanthi Hall, Colombo 5, recently.

Legendary director Lester James Peries graced the occasion with film-maker wife Sumitra Peries. Many other key figures in the industry were also present at the event which staged some stunning dance items by artistes.

Ahasin Polowata won the Agnaton Award as the Best Third World Film at the Cairo International Film Festival in 1978.

It also clinched 50 awards at local film festivals.

The film is based on a novel by Eileen Siriwardene. It stars Tony Ranasinghe, Sriyani Amarasena, Joe Abeywickrema, Vijaya Kumaratunga, Vasanthi Chathurani and Rukmani Devi. The script was written by the late Tissa Abeysekara. Donald Karunarathna was the cinematographer while Sumitra Peries was the editor. The art director was Ralex Ranasinghe. Nimal Mendis was the music composer.

The two songs in the movie the lullaby and Milton Mallawaarachchi’s Upul Nuwan Vidaha became hits. Ahasin Polowata was shot in a short time period of 25 days. It was the 387th Sinhala film in Sri Lankan cinema history. hasin Polowata: Kalakami Arthapathiya – U W Sumathipala, a book authored by A D Ranjith Kumara and the DVD version of Ahasin Polowata were also launched. Sumathi Films has produced many other significant films like Unnath Dahai Malath Dahai, Ahasin Polowata, Ganga Addara, Duwata Mawaka Misa and Uppalawana.