Bonjour cin‚ma! 2006

Film Festival of French speaking countries starts in Colombo

MOVIE: Sri Lankan moviegoers will have the rare opportunity of experiencing some great films from the French speaking countries when Bonjour Cinema is held from March 15 to 19 at the Elphinston Theatre.

The festival is a joint cultural promotion effort organised by the Consulate of Belgium, the High Commission of Canada, the Embassy of Switzerland, the Embassy of Romania and the Embassy of France with the collaboration of the National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka. In 2002 and 2003, the French Embassy organised the annual French-Sri Lankan film festival.

The Sri Lankan public's large enthusiastic response to the event of 2003 encouraged the diplomatic missions of Belgium, Canada, France and Switzerland to join their efforts to further extend this event in order to let the Sri Lankan public discover the richness and diversity of the cinema industries of several French speaking counties.

In addition to the French language films, one Sri Lankan film will also be screened during this year's festival.

This year's festival will feature a total of nine films, each screened once while entrance will be free of charge.

The movie schedule:

Wednesday March 15 at 6.30 p.m. Bless you, Prison! - Romania

Thursday March 16 at 4.30 p.m. Le cour des hommes (The Heart of men) - France

Thursday March 16 at 7.00 p.m. Tout un hiver sans feu (One long winter without fire) - Switzerland and Belgium

Friday March 17 at 4.30 p.m. Une affaire de gout (A matter of taste) - France

Friday March 17 at 7.00 p.m. Les convoyeurs attendent (The carriers are waiting) - Belgium, Switzerland and France

Awards: The film was screened at Cannes on the occasion of the 52nd Cannes film festival. (1999)

Saturday March 18 at 3.30 p.m. Les enfants du Paradis - France

Saturday March 18 at 7.00 p.m. La grande seduction (Seducing Dr Lewis) - Quebec

Sunday March 19 at 2.30 p.m. Le r"le de sa vie (The role of a lifetime) - France

Sunday March 19 (On invitation only) A Letter of fire - Sri Lanka Directed by Asoka Handagama

Synopsis: Beyond the appearance of a wealthy life in a beautiful mansion in Colombo, a prestigious family of three, the father, the mother and their 12 year-old-son, happens to be the victim of a long past childhood dream.

This story comes to light from an incredible, tragic, accident which involves the boy in the murder of a prostitute.

The affair causes a sensation, all the more as the boy's mother, a well known magistrate, happens to be in charge of the case. She picks up the trial for her son, who sheltered to the house of a security guard of a museum.

She asks the guard to hide her son for some time. While the city is in a real turmoil, the boy holes up in the company of the guards 13 year old daughter, his mother desperately tries to save time, the father is just absent...

Time passes, strange relationships develop between the mother and the guard and between the two children: tension reaches a peak when the mother's secret is revealed and her long contained pain is suddenly relieved in a violent, expiatory way.

Exquisite mix of the dancing twins

DANCE SHOW: The 'Natmo 2006' dance show presented by the Rivega institute for dancing, will be held on March 12 at 6.00 p.m. at the Tower Hall, Maradana.

The show is the maiden individual performance of the institute's dance troupe which was founded by the gifted twin brothers Rangana Evantha Vidanage and Rangika Jeewantha Vidanage.

The slogan of Natmo 2006 is 'Our dedication is for your satisfaction' and according to Rangika, the show is meant for the entertainment and pleasure of a wide assortment of spectators.

According to Rangika the concert is bound to live up to its name Natmo, which means 'dance for the pleasure of the viewer', being an exquisite mix of traditional, modern, creative and folk dance and also a few folk songs.

The 23-year-old twins, first as students of Prince of Wales College Moratuwa and then students of Royal College Colombo had started their dancing career in grade three, participating in a College group dance.

It had been unwavering courage and determination that always steered them to their current position today.

Their dancing had been moulded by their dancing teachers Piyasara Shilpadhipathi, Channa Wijeywardhana, Niloufer Peiris and Neranjala Narangoda whom Rangika mentions with heart-felt gratitude.

Today, the exceptional twins are veterans in dancing, skilful not only in traditional Sri Lankan dancing that includes Kandyan, Low country and Sabaragamu dancing, but also experts in ballet, Jazz, Tap, Latin American, Waltz, Kathak, Manipuri, Kathakali, Bharata, and Russian folk dancing as well.

According to Rangika's knowledge he's the only 'Wes' dancer in the country who was adroit in so many foreign dances as well as oriental Sri Lankan dancing.

Accomplishing the fifth grade of the 'Singapore Summer School Workshop' held in Singapore last year, Rangika managed to bring great honours to his country by winning the 'Achievement Award' for the best performer defeating nearly 40 other dancers from various Asian countries.

Rangika, an undergraduate reading for the Visual and Performing Arts degree at the University of Colombo, has dedicated his entire life to dancing.

He misses his twin who is currently in Australia completing his higher studies, and so would be unable to see their fruitful effort in full swing at Natmo 2006.

Abey Amaradasa, who has guided, supported and encouraged the young twins throughout, would be the chief guest of 'Natmo 2006'.

Rangika also recalled Janaka Gunaratne, Sumith Perera and the his friends of the twin cultural centre whose utmost support had made his dream come true. The versatile young man has set his goals high...

His ambition is not revolved round himself. He is aspired to add a leaf of life to Sri Lankan Oriental dancing. He sees the need of enhancing the dancing techniques and hoisting our dancing to meet international standards.

Getting our dancing the recognition and appreciation it deserves from the whole world is his purpose in life. And we wish him all the best to succeed in his praiseworthy cause.

- Lakmini

Join the Fight Club

MOVIE: 'Fight Club' is an exhilarating journey of four friends Vicky (Zayed Khan), Karan (Dino Morea), Somil (Riteish Deshmukh) and Diku (Aashish Choudhary), who in a constant endeavour to help each other, get entangled in a web of incidents, some romantic, many funny and all that test the extremes of their friendship.

These four friends who could be mistaken for brothers; offer an example of wonderful camaraderie, all throughout a journey with numerous highs, twists and dark turns.

An exciting journey is accelerated when Vicky stumbles upon the design of a Fight Club. A club which gives a people a platform to settle scores with their enemies in a unique atmosphere of fun, action and excitement.

Amidst the on-going fund, Team Fight Club get entangled in affairs of the heart and mind with Anu (Dia Mirza) and Shonali (Amrita Arora) which thicken their bonds together and make them travel to Delhi to look after a nightclub, 'Crossroads', which is in the eye of a storm created by Delhi's most dangerous gang lords.

Now, in a strange new city, these five boys from Mumbai, experience love, passion and also the worst enemies in the form of gang lords that one can ever imagine. Fight Club - directed by Vikram Chopra is now being screened at the Majestic Cinema, with English subtitles.

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