Despite many an obstacle like lack of facilities, schools or any organized system, there is a younger generation of filmmakers who strive to express themselves through celluloid. These lonely attempts are being hardly recognized by the authorities or relevant institutions which are responsible to promote them.

Thilina Alahakone whose short film 'She is also Pregnant' selected to the final round of 2nd Inigo Film Festival from July 15-20 in WYD Sydney, Australia, is one such hidden talent. Thilina's 20 minute film was selected as one of the nineteen films over from 300 films representing nearly a hundred countries. The other selections are from America, Korea, Japan, Italy, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Philippine, Czech Republic and India.

Thilina Alahakone

Thilina is the second successful selection from Sri Lanka as last year another young filmmaker Indrajith Mahawaduge won the Best Audience Award for his 'Existence' at the festival held in Germany.

Starting with 'Colour Dreams' in 2004, 'She is also Pregnant' is Thilina's second short film and he also has directed two more films 'Cigarette Butt' and 'Che has Returned'. Thilina, professionally a journalist, cameraman and award winning newspaper designer won the Best Newspaper Designer Award at Excellence in Journalism 2006. However Thilina has many talents to his credit. He has excelled as a painter, cartoonist, young novelist and stage artiste and film critic.

‘I focused on studying cinema when I decided to write about it. And I realized that I have to study the subject and the result was I am getting attracted to filmmaking’ Thilina said describing his entrance to cinema.

Among the gurus of cinema for Thilina are Rev. Fr. Ernest Poruthota of Catholic Media Institute, Robert Crusz of Thulana Media Unit and Dr. Tissa Abeysekera who headed the Television Training Institute.
Thilina also leads the Short Screen Society, an association for short filmmakers and a member of Our Media House, Colombo Independent Cinema Forum, Catholic Media Institute and CSR Media Unit and has prepared the first cinema website www.filmhall.com and theatre website www.fatat.net .

‘Short film is not an art to enter lengthy feature films but it's an art that stands out on its own’ says Thilina who wants to promote short films. ‘It is like a haiku poem or a short story which stands on its own, incomparable to any other art,’ argued the young filmmaker.

‘We like crows survive with the knowledge that we collect from different places and though there are many senior filmmakers like Tissa Abeysekera who are willing to assist the younger generation there is hardly a proper system to get their services,’ he complained.

Along with Thilina, his editor Sanjeewa Dulhan, another young filmmaker has been invited for this year's film festival. Dulhan, a professional editor working for leading advertising companies in the country is an ardent fan of cinema.

‘Making commercials makes money but the satisfaction of working for a movie is immense though there is hardly any commercial benefit,’ says Dulhan.

Joining the two is Indrajith Mahawaduge, who won an award at the last festival and is flying to Australaia with his latest short film 'Homecoming'. This was on an invitation by the festival organizers and his film will be screened at a non competitive section. In addition to Inigo Festival, Indrajith's 'Existance' was screened at several other festivals in India, Germany and Iran.

Indrajith also has two more films 'I Like that Dream' and '6pm to 6 am', a film about a night to his credit.
The three young film artistes are ready to visit the festival in Australia but there are many obstacles that they had to face. 'As young filmmakers our film being selected for a foreign film festival itself is misery,' the young artistes lamented.

"Even though we got flight tickets, and lodging to participate at the festival there are many other expenses we have to bear. For example the entrance fees for the festival we could not bear and thanks to Fr. Christof Wolf, S.J., the Festival Director who paid the sum from his pocket.

To promote Thilina's movie for the Audience Award at the Festival any Sri Lankan could join with a SMS to 0049-1577-1970096 typing '0,5'. Story of 'She is also Pregnant'

Amila works in an NGO and is currently researching the increasing number of abortions in Sri Lanka. Personally he is very much against abortions. He is working hard day and night on this project and neglects his girl friend. One day she calls him to ask why he has not contacted her. He explains that he is very busy. She gets angry and gives him some news which turns his world upside down. The film is produced by Frankline Hewawitharana and stars Chamal Rathnayake.