• New moves in music scene
• 'Cool Fire Blast'
• Bonsoir's tour of European Union
• 'Spiritual Togetherness'
• 'Thisaravi' Shehara
• Lester continues his line
• Purahanda Kaluwara kept in the dark
• 'Dancesport 2000'
• All about Unseen Women

New moves in music scene

By Sanath Weerasuriya

This week onwards Universal Music Group too have come forward to join hands with Sony music to give a boost to this competition.

'Maharaja Entertainments' have now successfully tied up with the Universal Music Group. This will help to increase its already extensive selection of original music. Universal has some of the most famous artistes like, Bryan Adams, Elton John, Bon Jovi, and Enrique Iglesia.

Taking into consideration the fact that Compact Discs/ Music Cassettes/ Posters of our choice, were offered it has now been decided to give all the winners of the competition, the added benefit of choosing a CD/MC/Poster of their choice from all the stocks at Maharaja Entertainment's.

This week's star on this competition is 'Jon Bon Jovi'. The new album 'Crush' is their millennium album and it is five years after their last one. 

To enter, you have to answer the simple question on the coupon and send it to the address given below.

The address is "Listen to Original Music Contest- No. 20, C/o Maharaja Entertainments (Pvt.) Ltd., 330, T.B.Jayah Mawatha, Colombo. 10. 

Tel: + 941672425-8, Fax + 941699070. E Mail: me @ lgo.lk 

All the entries must be originals from the TV Times and no photocopies or faxes will be entertained. All correct entries will be drawn by a panel of judges. 

The entries should reach the above address by August 9, the latest. 

The decision of the judges will be final and the names of the winners will be announced in The Sunday TV Times accordingly.

The history of Bon Jovi begins with the band's formation in native New Jersey, and follow their rise in popularity, including their emergence as worldwide superstars with the release of Slippery When Wet and New Jersey, two of the late eighties most popular and best-selling albums. After some time to catch their collective breath, as well as pursue solo endeavors, the band returned in the early 90s with Keep The Faith, providing the band with a viable and formidable presence even as fickle tastes and trends flooded the music scene. 

The success of Cross Road, the band's collection of greatest hits, anointed Bon Jovi king among rock's top international acts (the song "Always" from that album was celebrated by ASCAP as one of the most played songs of 1994). Bon Jovi eagerly regrouped to create the collection of songs that form Crush.

Though no band albums were released in the late nineties, the individual members of Bon Jovi each took turns in the spotlight. Jon Bon Jovi released his second solo effort (1997's Destination Anywhere and immersed himself in his newfound passion, acting (since his 1994 debut in Moonlight and Valentino, Jon has done seven feature films, including this spring's WWII submarine thriller, U-571, and is currently filming his eighth, Pay It Forward, with Kevin Spacey and Helen Hunt.) 

It bodes well for the hundreds of thousands of fans expected to flock to upcoming Bon Jovi concerts in support of Crush. A World Tour is slated to begin in hitting stadiums in Japan and Europe, before heading to North America and Australia in the fall. 

Here are the winners list of Contest No: 19 - 'Album of Your Choice'

Winner of the Original CD is K N Dinusha of Katunayake. 

Winners of the Original Music Casssette are Sherika Perera of Mt. Lavinia and Nathali Dhanya Ariyaratne of Rajagiriya.

Winners of the Posters of 'Your Choice'are.....

Avizzen Alisager of Kalubowila, Dehiwela, R A J Sadaken Perera of Panadura, Malin Senaratne of Kandy. Avanthi Liyanage of Colombo 6, Sujith Alvin of Mt. Lavinia, Kosala Thanuja Bandara of Kandy and Dirk Van Dort of Colombo 9.

'Cool Fire Blast'

Avenger is a popular brand name in fragrance with macho guys and active girls. The contest is organised by ICL Marketing in collaboration with TV Times and the readers can now win five 'Avenger Cool Fire' gift packs worth Rs 500/- each every week. 

All you have to do is , correctly answer the question given in the coupon, which is drawn from the topics of your interest such as music, sports, movies and other entertainment related areas.

All the entries must be originals from the TV Times and no photo copies or faxes will be entertained. The first entry coupon should reach the address' Avenger Cool Fire Blast', c/o ICL Marketing(pvt) Limited, 146, Dawson Street, Colombo-2 on or before August 9. 

Avenger Cool Fire is the best choice for both 'red hot' or 'super cool' guys and girls at the same time. 

It is truly for a macho man, who has always been the ultimate blend of 'with it' and 'laid back'- and now is no exception. 

Do not forget this contest is only for hot-cool Avenger fans of TV Times and don't miss this five Super Cool prizes for a simple question. Keep your entries rolling in the weeks to come.

Bonsoir's tour of European Union

In Austria these two presenters explore the life and times of Strauss but almost able to resist the Viennese waltz, attired for the occasion, they too join the Sri Lankan champions of the Viennese waltz, Charneze Perera and Yohan Peiris. Watch us for more!

"Bonsoir" on Monday July 31, on ITN

'Spiritual Togetherness'

This programme is organised by S.O.U.L. and the music will be provided by a group of musicians who now focus on Gospal music.

'Thisaravi' Shehara

By Sanath Weerasuriya

Thisaravi, is the latest film directed by Dharmasiri Wickremasinghe to hit the fourth circuit.

Shehara Jayaweera plays the main role in this film. Roger Seneviratne plays opposite Shehara and new comer Arjuna Kamalanath, acts as a married gay man.

The story is woven around a wife who leans towards another man for love.

This is Shehara's third film released. 'Mohothin Mohotha' directed by Sunil Soma Peiris and 'Seetha Re' directed by Dharmasiri Wickremesinghe were the other two movies released in 1998 and in 1999 respectively.

But her very first movie is 'Bala Kamaya', which is still waiting its release.

'Bala Kamaya' is directed by Louis Vanderstraaten and Shehara plays one of the main roles opposite Thilak Jayaweera and Wimal Kumara de Costa.

Shehara is also involved in a couple of tele dramas and her very first tele movie is now on Rupavahini on Friday at 8.30 pm.

'But I love to be in the film scene because I know the industry is now booming again and newcomers like us will have a good future in the film world', she said.

Lester continues his line

By Susitha R. Fernando

Lester James Peiris has started work on his latest film "Weva Kanda Walauwa".

The film based on the downfall of a traditional aristocratic family, which failed to adapt itself to the changing political, economic and social mood that overtook in Sri Lanka 1970s.

The veteran film maker is busy with his crew at a three storied mansion named "Silumina" just 100 yards from the Panadura town, which he has chosen for the story.

Once the shooting in Panadura is completed, Dr. Peiris and his crew will move on to Bandaragama and Piliyandala for the outdoor shooting of the film.

Inspired by the world famous play "Cherry Orchard" by Anton Chekov, director Dr. Peries has made a request from Somaweera Senanayake to write a script based on its story.

Simplicity was one of the main features displayed by the veteran film maker in his films for last 50 years. However he has had a lasting impact on the Sri Lankan cinema and bringing it world recognition.

A scene from Weva Kanda Walawwa
 

This expertise in directing films has won him many awards here and abroad the latest being the prestigious award for Lifetime Achievement at the International Film Festival in New Delhi this year.

As a director who has introduced several new faces to the cinema, Dr. Peiris has not failed to cast several amateurs along with the veterans.

Malani Fonseka plays the role of a widow in a land owning family and Sanath Gunatilaka acts as her younger brother.

An equally important role is done by Ravindra Randeniya. The young film star Paboda Sandeepani too has also been cast among these veterans.

Camera direction is by K.A. Dharmasena and art direction by Marni Mendis. Somaweera Senananyake has written the script. The film is produced by Chandran Ratnam and Asoka Perera for 'Taprobane Films'.

When one goes through the list of the most memorable films in the Sinhala Cinema during its last fifty years one cannot miss the fact that it is this great man who is responsible for a majority of them.

Be it Rekawa, Nidhanaya or Gamperaliya his films always had the ability to leave lasting memories in the hearts of the cinema goers.

"Weva Kanda Walauwa" will no doubt be another such treat to his fans.

Purahanda Kaluwara kept in the dark

Controversy has arisen over the deferment of the screening of the internationally acclaimed film 'Purahanda Kaluwara" (Death on the full moon day) directed by Prasanna Vithanage by the government.

The National Film Corporation said the film was to released on fifth circuit from July 28. But in a subsequent development, Minister Sarath Amunugama, who also was responsible for regulating films in the country made the order under section 6 of the NFCSL Act of 1971 that the exhibition of the film had been deferred since the country has been placed on a war footing.

The film was earlier banned when the censorship was imposed restricting the information relating to the national security by the competent authority. However when the court held that the post of competent authority was illegal on June 30, the director was informed that the film could be exhibited.

A scene from 'Purahanda Kaluwara

Once the minister clamped down his order the director Mr. Vithanage had been invited to exhibit his other film "Anantha Rathriya" which too had been slated for release next which offer the director had turned down.

Mr. Vithanage said that he would accept the decision of the authority to delay the film being screened.

Meanwhile the film "Rajya Sevaya Pinisai" which too dealt with a political theme was offered the chance to be released next on the same circuit.

The screening of the film 'Purahanda Kaluwara' and the press briefing for the media was held last week at the Russian Cultural Centre. At the press briefing number of journalists expressed that the publicity campaign of the film "Rajya Sevaya Pinisai" was carried out even before its was released but later it was stopped with the intervention of the National Film Corporation (NFC).

They were also of the view that there were plans to release this film in order to get political advantage with the present situation of the country.

Speaking on behalf of the 'Artists Guild' its president Ravindra Randeniya said that the Guild was against the decision to suspend the film 'Purahanda Kaluwara'.

He also said by this situation the director of the film had been caused a great injustice by the authorities by changing the decision on the release of the film.

Meanwhile a number of non governmental organisations have expressed their opposition to the decision of the minister.

'Dancesport 2000'

The championship, organised by Footwork Production which has organised many events during past 10 years has invited five international adjudicators for this year competition.

Two of the adjudicators for the event are Karina Schembri and Stefano Olivieri, the reigning 10-Dance Champions of Australia.

They will perform a 10-Dance show, which would be the highlight of the evening.

While forty contestants are taking part, for the first time Juveniles and Juniors events will be included in the competition. The other events are Freshers, Novices, Pre-Amateur and Amateur (open) in both Modern and Latin American dancing.

Sri Lankan Airlines, the official carrier for the event will offer air passages for four best dancers of Dancesport 2000 to compete in an international Championship.

At a press conference held on the competition Director of the Footwork Production, Dharshana Wijesooriya said that the Sri Lankans have made a name in the international arena in the Latin American section in which the youngsters have shown more interest. Among the sponsors of this year are Mercantile Shipping Company, Speedmark Transportation Pvt. Ltd, M P Gomez and Co. and Lanka Hands.

Tickets for the event will be available from July 31, at the Special Event Desk at Hilton Colombo.

The MC for the evening will be Arun Dias Bandaranaike, and the scrutineering will be handled by Lester Gomez, both of whom were associated with the Footwork Dancesport Championship since the very beginning. The music will be handled by Footwork DJs.

Tickets are priced from Rs. 700/- to Rs. 1,750/-. All seats are reserved and tiered. Guests will be served with refreshments during the interval.

All about Unseen Women

The series, called Oba Nodutu Eya (The Unseen Woman), presents powerful testimonies by women themselves to show how women workers in Sri Lanka's informal economy are denied some of the basic rights and benefits available to those working in the formal sectors. It also highlights instances where women are suffering spousal negligence and domestic violence because they are unable to assert their rights due to ignorance or societal pressures.

The Oba Nodutu Eya series consists of five programmes, and will be broadcast on Rupavahini Channel 1 every Tuesday at 9.30 p.m. beginning August 1. The programmes focus on women workers in two sectors — the coir industry in the South, and the agricultural communities in the Mahaweli settlements in the Dry Zone. The series probes how women's economic and legal rights - many of which are guaranteed under law — operate in real life. In doing so, it shows the massive gaps between good intentions and the stark realities.

The series has been directed by Inoka Satyangani Mahadivulwewa, an award-winning young woman film maker with several highly acclaimed productions to her credit. It was produced by the Television Trust for the Environment (TVE), a non-profit organisation that works globally to generate discussion and debate on environment and development issues, through its local affiliate the Sri Lanka Environmental Television Project (SLETP). The production of the series was supported by the Asia Foundation with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The programmes use a mixture of interviews with women workers, comments from activists and researchers, and brief narration. Three programmes also include short drama segments based on real-life situations. The combined effect is both hard-hitting and designed to tickle the conscience of many who lead more privileged lives.

The series surveys a wide range of issues, and portrays different women, each one representing hundreds of others in similar situations. They include:• Women workers exploited by middlemen, traders and now threatened by the mechanisation of their craft.• Women abused, beaten or abandoned by husbands.• Women who are paid less than men for doing the same work.• Women denied property inheritance rights.• Women living in fear, ignorance and in perpetual suffering.

The programmes do not claim to provide all the answers, but the final programme of the series presents the expert viewpoints of two women researcher-activists who discuss what the authorities and society can do to improve the situation. 

Video copies of the series and further information on each programme are available from the SLETP office at 24, First Lane, Koswatte Road, Nawala, Rajagiriya; Phone: 877 808.

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