TV Times

TV Times

Vimukthi makes his name at Cannes debut
By Susitha R. Fernando
Most probably the youngest filmmaker in Sri Lanka to win one of the biggest awards in the fifty years of filmmaking, Vimukthi Jayasundara was honoured with a leading award at last week's Prestigious Cannes International Film Festival.

The young director was awarded the Caméra d'Or (Golden Camera) Award given for the best director of a first feature film. The award which was shared with American director Miranda July who had come to Cannes with her debut "Me, You and Everyone We Know," a quirky look at life in Los Angeles, where everyone seems to be lonely as well as odd.

The award to Vimukthi was a historical milestone for Sri Lankan cinema. And his success with the film "Sulanga Enu Pinisa" (The forsaken Land) which was described as a story about a small group of people living in a desolate part of Sri Lanka' is significant as there was not a single entry from India the biggest movie industry in the world or any other South Asian country this year.

After receiving the award at last Sunday's award ceremony Vimukthi addressed the large gathering including 1000 directors, 4000 distributors and over 3000 film critics from all over the world "Good evening, and thank you very much; members of the Jury. This is a Prize for Asia and Sri Lanka, and I'm very proud. Thank you very much!".

The TV Times interviewed leading filmmakers in the country for their comments on this young director's achievement. The first filmmaker who competed at the Cannes Film Festival (in 1957 with his Rekhawa) and also the only Sri Lankan who served in the Cannes jury, the veteran director Dr. Lester James Peiris said "winning an award at this world renowned film festival is an outstanding achievement and it brings a lot of prestige and attention to Sri Lanka". This year at Cannes there was a special attention to Sri Lanka with four other films screened. Though not related to the competition, the four films were a part of the many events at this year's festival.

"This would be a lesson to the government as the French government teaches and trains our young Sri Lankan filmmakers while our government is doing nothing for these young talents. For Vimukthi's success credit also should go to the French Government," explained Dr. Peiris.

Former chairman of National Film Corporation (NFC), Tissa Abeysekere played a vital role in supporting this young man to study cinema in France. When Vimukthi was selected by the French government to study cinema there as the only Asian student he was in an indecisive state to find a sponsor. It was Mr. Abeysekere who realised the enormous potential of this young man and took many risks to support him.

"This is a tremendous triumph and a ego boost for Sri Lankan cinema as this is similar to winning the world cup in cricket," Mr. Abeysekere said. "And this will give lot of courage for promising young filmmakers and being twenty seven years old Vimukthi's award is a great achievement and deserves recognition".

Technically speaking the greatest award a Sri Lankan film won was the Golden Peacock award by Lester James Peiris' for his "Gam Peraliya" at New Delhi Film Festival. But Vimukthi's award is important as Cannes is considered to be the most prestigious international film festival.

"However Vimukthi's victory emphasises that the Sri Lankan government should be more serious about the film industry and filmmakers should be given a greater degree of state sponsorship" Mr. Abeysekere said.

'Vimukthi's success shows the tragedy of Sri Lankan cinema," said experienced filmmaker Vasantha Obeysekere who is an internationally recognised director.

"The achievements of young Vimukthi should open the eyes of the bureaucrats and politicians to give better opportunities to these young talents. While the French government comes forward and helps our directors what has the Sri Lankan government done?' questioned Mr. Obeysekere who has contributed in the production of some of the outstanding films for Sri Lankan cinema.

"Despite being a small country we have enormous potential and what we can see is that compared to India we are doing far better. And I hope this young man's achievement will open the eyes to give a better deal to our young generation of filmmakers", said Mr. Obeysekere on a hopeful note.

Internationally acclaimed actor Joe Abeywickrema speaking about Vimukthi's success says that this is an achievement that the whole country should be celebrating. "In this little country at the time there was no one to give a helping hand to these young men. Winning such awards is something great. This young man at twenty seven has gone a long way and state institutions or somebody must support them."

Who is Vimukthi?
Vimukthi Jayasundara was born in 1977 and before starting filmmaking worked as a writer, film critic and script writer and was trained at the Institute of the Cinema and Television of Pune, in India.

He directed The Land of Silence, a documentary on the victims of the civil war and the film was selected in several festivals including Marseilles, Rotterdam and Berlin.

Later he obtained a grant from France where he studied at the School of Art of Fresnoy before becoming resident in Cinofondation of the Festival of Cannes in 2003.

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