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| Saturday, 12 February 2005 |
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Ira Madiyama: War battered lives on local cinema "...Here is someone who does not underestimate audience
intelligence, whose boldness doesn't stop with protest, but makes poetry
out of it. Prasanna Vithanage achieves clarity in the visual, without
underlining situations and moods," True to this comment, acclaimed film maker Prasanna Vithanage has come up with yet another unique cinematic creation Ira Madiyama (August Sun) which commenced screening a few days back.
The film revolves around three narratives which unfold simultaneously. During two scorching days in August, three different groups of people face different experiences due to circumstances beyond their control. These are ordinary people thrown into the flames of war. The
experiences they encounter may not be directly related to the conflict.
These events, like the weather, govern their lives. Yet they have to continue beyond these encounters to exist in a society that is traumatized and disturbed by nearly 20 years of civil war. An-eleven-year old Muslim boy, Arfath, is struggling to keep his companion and friend, a dog, while the family are forced out of their home by the rebels. Chamari, a young woman is looking for her husband who is a soldier missing in action. A young soldier Duminda walks into a brothel to find his sister among the working girls. These stories are about people who are struggling to hold on to their hopes and dreams while being swept by the torrents of war. The film is about their quest for life.
Prasanna entered the cinema directly from the stage where he directed two translated stage plays - Bernard Shaw's "Arms and the Man" and Dario Feo's "Raspberries and Trumpets". His first film Sisila Gini Gani (1992) won nine OCIC awards while his second Anantha Rathriya (1996) won a Jury's Special Mention at the first Pusan Film Festival. Pawuru Walalu (1997) which was his third feature won three awards at the Amiens International Film festival. His fourth film Purahanda Kaluwara which was initially banned in Sri Lanka won the Grand Prix at the Amiens Film Festival. Ira Madiyama has already won Best Film (Silver Award) along with Best Actress award for Nimmi Harasgama at the Las Palmas International film festival in 2004. It was also the winner of the Jury's Special Mention Grand Prix "Le Regard d'or'" at the Fribourg International Film festival in 2004. The film was also included in the official selection of the London International Film festival (2003) and Rotterdam International Film Festival (2004). In honour of Gamini Fonseka: Parasathumal re-screened Parasathumal which took the Sinhala cinema by storm in the late sixties is back on screen from yesterday. This film was the maiden directorial effort of Gamini Fonseka who was
then at the height of his popularity as the leading actor of the local
silver screen. Parasathumal is the story of Bonnie Mahattaya a manor-born rich young playboy portrayed by Gamini Fonseka, whose many amorous escapades only leaves him empty and unfulfilled when he fails to win over the village damsel after his heart that invariably plunges him into a life of debauchery ultimately leading to his death. Gamini as usual comes out with a sterling performance as the young bachelor wedded to wine, women and song. The film which broke traditional ground was the recipient of many awards. It also brought the best out of actors such as Tony Ranasinghe and emerging star Anula Karunatilake. The film's producer Chithra Balasuriya said Parasathumal is more suitable for these days than the sixties. "I think this film is ideal for the present day than when it was first shown in the sixties, Chithra said adding that its re-screening is aimed to serve as a tribute to Gamini. Chithra said he never had any intention to re-screen the film. "At Gamini's funeral and even after that, many people inquired as to why I am not taking steps to re-screen this film and I thought that I would do this for Gamini." he said. The film was based on a story by P.K.D. Seneviratne. While recalling his close association and friendship with Gamini, Chithra said he never wished to see Gamini die before him. "But that is what happened. People have come to appreciate the value of Gamini much more after his death." Chithra said in 1966, he spent Rs 450,000 for the whole film but today he had to spend Rs 400,000 for just one copy. "But I am happy that I was able to bring back the memories of Gamini." Sinhala cinema's loses leading stuntsman The passing away of well-known silver screen stuntsman Bandu Munasinghe removes from the Sinhala cinema yet another link with an era which is still recalled by fans as the most vibrant and dynamic in the industry's history. Bandu along with Robin Fernando and Alexander Fernando formed a trimuverate which provided the blood and gore to those memorable screen fights where they were ideally pitted against local filmdom's unconquered hero Gamini Fonseka which sent fans into raptures in those halcyon days of the local cinema. These encounters appeared so real, films which featured these artistes together were invariably Box Office draws in those rumbustious days of the Sinhala cinema. Fans of the mid sixties still recall the memorable wrestling duel between Gamini and Bandu in the blockbuster film Getawarayo, which was so authentic, it was breathtaking. Being exponents of the martial arts and physical culture, they made all fight sequences come alive on screen. The passing away of Gamini and now one of his chief screen opponents is but only a poignant reminder of the gradual fading away of a phase which is still considered as the golden era of the Sinhala cinema. (RM) |
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In
Ira Madiyama, which has already won a number of international awards and
critical acclaim, Prasanna sheds light on the deep human relations
engulfed in the country's prolonged conflict and how their lives change
due to facts which are almost beyond their control.
Ira
Madiyama is Prasanna's fifth feature film while his all previous films
went on to grab prominent local and international awards.
