Fishing on a ‘Flying Fish’ End of French Spring
Acclaimed filmmakers, independent artistes and film lovers have expressed concern over the recent ban imposed on the controversial film ‘Igilena Maaluwo’ or ‘Flying Fish’, an internationally awarded cinematic production by young filmmaker Sanjeewa Pushpakumara.
The Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) has called for banning of the film following its screening for a limited invited audience, as the opening film of French Spring, a film Festival opened on July 11.
The film festival with all French films for public screening too was suspended. Justifying the ban MCNS Director General, Lakshman Hulugalla called ‘Flying Fish’ “an illegal film which insults the security forces and the government of Sri Lanka”. He also had viewed that the film should not have been allowed in the first place adding that “permission has not been obtained to cast actors in military fatigue and the manner of the portrayal is said to be insulting to the forces.”
Passed by the Public Performance Board (PPB) or well-known Censor Board, ‘Flying Fish’ was said to have completed mandatory requirements to have its screening at the festival. The filmmakers were worried that another authority has taken over responsibilities of PPB.
“We are worried that the authorities will use this incident to curtail the limited freedom enjoyed by filmmakers for their visual creativity,” said reputed filmmaker Prasanna Vithanage who also the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Film Directors Guild.
Sanjeewa Pushpakumara
“The Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) banning a film which was passed by the PPB, civil body is a serious action where the powers of PPB taking over by the PPB,” Prasanna who suffered a similar fate when he made acclaimed film ‘Purahanda Kaluwara’ said.
“On the other hand this move gives a bad image on the country as we are reflected as an extremist state. We should be mature enough to differentiate between a fiction and a documentary. This is not a documentary that is similar to one that created by Channel 4,” he said.
This move also prevents the rights of the public to see this film. I strongly agree with the standardization of films based on its content and labeling it an adult only film or etc which is an internationally accepted practice. We must respect the public and they have a right to evaluate what they see on their own. If we don’t do that we are insulting them.
“The worst outcome of these moves is hate campaign and branding filmmakers, producers and those involved in the field. The producer Manohara Nanayakkara has produced a film for veteran filmmakers like Sumithra Peries and he has produced ‘Flying Fish’ to support a young filmmaker. So it is unfair those involved in the industry being branded as ‘Pariahs’, ‘horas’ and NGO Karayas.” Vithanage also said that the Film Directors Guild is yet to meet to take an official decision on the incident.
On the other hand now that the film director Sanjeewa Pushpakumara has denied these allegations and has expressed his willingness to corporate any investigation, the best thing that the government can do is to carry an fair investigation. And it is a fact that the French government was not involved in the film or its production.
Prasanna Vithanage
On Wednesday the filmmaker, Sanjeewa Pushpakumara who is now based in Korea in a statement denied all the allegations made against him and his film. Hailing from a war-torn boarder village off Trincomalee, Pushpakumara said “the inspiration for this film is derived from the lives of me, my family and friends. The film narrates my direct or indirect personal experiences and relationships with different people who entered and departed from my life,”.
“Being a person grown-up in a border area, I thankfully enjoy the benefits of the ending of the dreadful 30-year long war. However, it is those brutal experiences of the war that I was forced to witness and experience directly while growing-up as a child, that ultimately became the subject matter for this film,” Pushpakumara described his inspiration for ‘Flying Fish’.
“I spent my childhood and my life in a village, which was controlled by the government security forces during the day, and, by the LTTE during the night. So, under these circumstances I noticed how the lives of the ordinary people, who were not involved with the army, were becoming militarized,” he further explained.
“I understand that the impressions I created on screen (based on my personal experiences and the reality I had lived) may not agree with the images of the war and the military that the government has constructed and want to create. After the conclusion of the war, when we talk about rebuilding and normalizing the day-to-day lives of my fellow people, we cannot gloss over or forget this unfortunate and harsh reality, because this fragmented life is the real building blocks of our tomorrow,” he went on to state.
The young filmmaker categorically denied getting any support from anyone otherthan the producers. “Throughout the making of this film I have had no relationship whatsoever with the Tamil diaspora, NGOs or any other donor organizations as erroneously accused of by the media.
‘Flying Fish’ flew high in foreign skies
The film has won a number of international awards including the NETPAC award for the Best Asian Film at the 4th Bangalore International Film Festival in India 2011, Best Director Award in New Territories at the St. Pertersburg International Film Festival- KINOFORUM, Special Jury Mention for Red Chameleon Award and Blue Chameleon Award at 5th CinDi IFF aka Cinema Digital International Film Festival, Seoul, South Korea, Critic’s Choice Award, 5th New Jersey South Asian Film Festival, USA and was nominated for the Tiger Award at the 40th International Film Festival at Rotterdam. It also has represented Sri Lanka at more than 25 International Film Festivals.
Follow @timesonlinelk
comments powered by Disqus