TV Times

TV Times

One more feather for Ira Mediyama
‘Ira Mediyama’ (August Sun) has once again received international recognition at the Singapore International Film Festival (SIFF). This is another film by Prasanna Vithanage. The Singapore Film Festival began on April 15 and concluded on May 1.

The film was awarded with the International Critic Prize at the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) and Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC) at Singapore International Film Festival.

The Jury citation for the film said it was “set in the mid-1990’s, when the civil war in Sri Lanka was at its height, the film depicts how three individuals struggle to recover what they have lost and are willing to risk everything for what really counts in life: A longing for identity, a sense of dignity and yearning to love and be loved”.

Launched in 1987 with the objective to promote film as an artistic medium and provide an international showcase for Asian Cinema among other things the SIFF is an annual film event which screens about 300 films from over 45 countries.

The Festival is recognized by international film critics (who attend to discover new Asian talents) for its programming and focus on Asian Cinema and has a platform for new Singapore films and a window to South East Asian films. Tributes to the SIFF have been organized by the Cine Vegas Film Festival and the European Institute of Cinema.

To encourage excellence amongst Asian filmmakers, the Festival had introduced the Silver Screen Awards Competition in 1991. The Awards have become regionally recognized and Asian filmmakers vie to have their films entered in-competition to gain exposure in world markets.

Earlier Prasanna’s third feature ‘Pawuru Walalu’ (Walls Within) won the Best Actress Award for Nita Fernando for her role as Violet, at the 1998 Singapore International Film Festival.

The latest award at last week’s SIFF is the fourth international recognition received by the film.‘Ira Mediyama’ earlier had won the Silver Award for the Best film (Lady Harimaguada Plata) and Best Actress Award for Nimmi Harasgama) at the 5th International Film Festival of Las Palmas –2004 in Spain.

A Jury Special Mention at Grand Prix “Le Regard D’or” at 18th Fribourg International Film Festival-2004 had also been awarded to ‘Ira Mediyama’. Set in the mid 1990s ‘Ira Mediyama’ centres on three main narratives, which evolve simultaneously. The individuals in this story are all caught up in the quest of looking for what they have lost. They risk everything to achieve what they think is happiness. Here lies the never-ending search for love, dignity and identity.

The cast in the films are Peter D’ Almeida, Nimmi Harasgama, Namal Jayasinghe, Mohamed Rahfiulla, Nadi Kammalaweera, A. A. Mansoor, Maheshwari Ratnam, Gayani Gishanthika, H. V. Thaheera and Rajeena Begum.

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