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Australian
Film Festival A selection
of the best Australian films from recent years will be screened
in Colombo at this Australian Film Festival 2002. "The film
festival will give Sri Lankans the opportunity to enjoy some of
the finest products of the Australian film industry", said
the Australian High Commissioner David Binns. The festival
will showcase the originality, innovation and technological expertise
that has propelled Australian actors and moviemakers into the international
spotlight. Eleven films
will be screened, including Lantana, the runaway success of the
Australian film industry in 2001, starring Oscar-Award winning actor
Geoffrey Rush. The Australian
film industry has a reputation for innovation and quality, and for
producing unique films with an Australian flavour and global appeal.
Australia's actors, directors, producers, costume designers, writers,
cinematographers and animators are attracting growing international
acclaim. Australian film makers and performers now move routinely between home and abroad to work. Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe and Mel Gibson are just some of the more prominent names among a large and distinguished company of Australian actors who have carved out successful international film careers. Many of the stars of the films to be screened at the Australian Film Festival 2002 are big names in the international arena. Geoffrey Rush, the star of the psychological thriller Lantana, flagship film of the festival, has been nominated for three Academy Awards, and won the Best Actor Academy Award in 1998. Cate Blanchett, star of the festival's romantic drama Thank God He Met Lizie, is another actor currently being wooed by Hollywood following her roles in Elizabeth, The Shipping News and The Lord of the Rings. In 2000-01 a total of 96 feature films and independent television dramas, worth US $470 million, were made in Australia. Examples include the Award-winning The Matrix, Mission, Impossible II and the latest in the Star Wars series. "Many of these films reflect the diverse ethnic make-up of modern day Australia, and the way contributions from different groups have enriched Australian society and culture", said Mr. Binns. Looking for Alibrandi tells the story of three generations of an Italian-Australian family, while Yolngu Boy follows the journey of three young Aboriginal boys from a remote community in the Northern Territory. The festival has been organised by the Australian High Commission in Colombo. Principal sponsors are the Australian Film Commission, Abans, Ansell Lanka, Infotech, Mobitel and IDP Australia. Other sponsors include Associated Motorways, BHP Steel and Hayleys. Entrance is free of charge. Please telephone 698 767/8/9 for tickets and programme information. 'Diyaketa
Pahana' back on mini screen again The repeat telecast
of the popular 'Diyaketa Pahana', is the third teledrama to be sponsored
by Swadeshi Industrial Works. First telecast in 1997, this teledrama won Best Director, Best Script, Best Production, Best Acting and Best Cinematography at the 1997 Sumathi Tele awards. A creation of Asoka Handagama, the story is about a group of villagers living in the dry zone, how they deal with the hardships they face and how a young graduate who comes to live there faces much opposition from the villagers when he tries to change their way of living and thinking. The teledrama stars Mahendra Perera, Kaushalya Fernando, Malcolm Machado, Hemasiri Liyanage and Raju Bandara and other well known actors and actresses. Swadeshi has previously sponsored 'Bopath Sakkiya', a teledrama by Sathischandra Edirisinghe and 'Ambu Daruwo' by Sudath Rohana which was rated among the five most-watched weekly television programmes in Sri Lanka. 'Sawsiri
Uyana' not entirely a new theme The script written by K. B. Herath has been directed by Sathithchandra Edirisinghe.
The story goes like this.....Sampath is a handsome young man who starting life as a salesman in a vehicle shop later becomes a TV star. His mother, 'Sandya' is a bridal designer and the two reside in "Sawsiri Uyana". This good looking young man had never seen his father no did either he or his mother knew where he was living. Sampath is the child of an affair Sandya had carried with a boy. He had worked as a supervisor in a factory to which Sandya's family supplied food. The two fell in love and the boy had disappeared without any clue when he had heard that Sandya got pregnant by him. However Sandya gave birth to the child and managed to bring him up. Sisira a gem businessman comes to occupy the house next to Sandya's in 'Sawsiri Uyana' with the intention of admitting his child to school in Colombo. With his family his wife's sister Inoka too joins the new house. Inoka is engaged to Chandana, brother of an influential man called Chandrathilake. But soon the girl falls in love with Sampath living next door. This enrages both Chandana and his brother Chandrathilake. Samarajeewa a lecturer too lives in Sawsiri Uyana with his wife Nirmala who is working an institution involved in human rights matters. Their only child, 'Bantu' works abroad after having finished her higher studies. Inoka gets friendly with the couple and joins Nirmala in her work. Nirmala hears the story of Sampath's mother through Inoka and starts to find out about Sampath's father. Soon they come to know that Sampath's father who left his mother long ago is none other than the wealthy Chandrathilake the brother of Chandana to whom Inoka is engaged. However the girl cannot reveal this to Sampath or his mother and this even causes a break up in the friendship between the two. In desperation Sampath leaves the country and Inoka too leaves his sister's house. However on her return to Sawsiri Uyana back she meets Bantu, Samarajeewa's son who is visiting his parents. Inoka comes to like Bantu. They get married but their happimess is short lived. The new couple begins to quarrel when Inoka tells him of her former affair with Sampath and the story about his mother who was deceived by Chandrathilake. Bantu puts the blame on Inoka for not revealing the truth. This leads to a separation and Bantu leaves the country. Inoka begins to suffer and becomes mentally ill. But as the story continues Sandya, Sampath's mother comes to know about her deceived lover who had now entered politics. Would she dare to go back to him? or will Chandrathilake accept her? All these will be answered as 'Sawsiri Uyana' concludes. Sathischandra Edirisinghe, Radha de Mel, Geetha Kanthi Jayakody, Channa Perera, Kanchana Mendis and Rebeka Nirmali play the major roles in "Sawsiri Uyana'. In the technical crew are Daya Punchihewa as the editor, Daya Suriyarachchi as the cameraman and Rohana Weerasinghe as music director. |
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