Positioning Sri Lankan cinema in a Global Map
Making a historical move the first ever ‘International’ film festival in Sri Lanka under the title ‘Colombo International Film Festival’ will be held in Colombo from September 2 to 7. Organised by the Film Directors’ Guild of Sri Lanka the festival will provide a golden opportunities to all Sri Lankan film lovers, students and enthusiasts to experience a real international film festival.
Film Directors Guild President Prasanna Vithanage, Festival Director Asoka Handagama and filmmaker Benette Ratnayake
“Although Sri Lankan cinema has managed to garner recognition among independent festival audiences the world over; we have yet to establish an effective international film festival of our own. We, the members of the Film Directors Guild, decided to take this responsibility on our shoulders and we are happy to announce that we will officially launch the International Film Festival of Colombo 2014, in association with Okinawa International Movie Festival in Japan,” experienced filmmaker, Asoka Handagama, the Festival Director said at the launch of the festival last Tuesday.
He further said even though Sri Lankan cinema has managed to gain recognition among independent festival audiences the world over, we do not have an effective international film festival of our own. “But our dream of hosting a grand festival is now becoming a reality,” Handagama said.
Anoma Raajakaruna, the Festival Organiser
The festival, a fully free-of charge event will screen a large number of films which will be shown here as the second European screening and first Asian screening.
‘The festival will introduce globally recognized art-house movies which do not come as commercial releases to Sri Lankan to local cinema audiences and expose local films and filmmakers to the world,’ Anoma said.
Questioned by the media as to how the Censor Board or Public Performance Board would handle its authority over films that are screened in Sri Lanka, Anoma Raajakaruna, the festival programmer said that the festival organizers hope that the Censor Board will give an opportunity to the film lovers and students in Sri Lanka experience a real international film festival and they would not interfere into this.
Juliiette Binoche
The festival will take place at Regal Cinema Colombo (the main theatre), Majestic Cinemas (Ultra), Empire – (Independence Square Arcade), Thararangani Cinema and Goethe Institute theatre. The festival programme comprises of 3 main components Film Festival, Fringe Festival and the Indian Ocean Competition (to be launched from next year). The Fringe Festival includes film workshops, seminars, roundtables, exhibitions during the film festival.
And the films to be screened, can be categorized as follows, Juliiette Binoche Retrospective, Michelangelo Antonioni Retrospective, Focus on Women Spanish, Directors, Official Selection, NETPAC Movies, Window to Okinawa, Sri Lankan New Currents, Sri Lankan Diaspora Films and Children Movies.
The organizers invite the education authorities and schools to make arrangements for the children to experience the festival while also inviting film lovers of all age specially those who study cinema and even senior citizens.
Michelangelo Antonioni
Around 70+ films are to be screened during the festival and focus also will be on Spain. This program will include a collection of children’s movies, a retrospective section, a window to Japanese cinema, a short film corner and a few good documentaries. The festival will commence with a Grand Opening Ceremony and invitees from the local industry and international guests will be invited to walk along the Red Carpet leading to the Regal theatre where the opening ceremony will take place.
A special homage will be paid to Dr. Lester James Pieris, the father of our cinema, for his immaculate contribution to expose Sri Lankan cinema to an international viewership.“As we all know, Sri Lankan cinema came about in 1947, but it was in 1956 that our cinema was reborn with a truly Sri Lankan identity. It was with Dr. Lester James Pieris’s ‘Rekhava (Silver Line). ‘Rekhava’ represented Sri Lanka at the Cannes’s film festival that year. Since then, our cinema has been featured in major international film festivals in the world,” said Handagama reminiscing the invaluable service rendered by the pioneer filmmaker of the country.