International Buddhist Film Festival for Vesak 2015
In order to celebrate Vesak, the most revered festival of the Buddhists, all those who throng to Colombo and specially those visitors who are expected to witness the celebrations around Bauddhaloka Mawatha and at the BMICH will have an opportunity to experience cinema with the theme related to Buddhism from Sri Lanka and overseas during the 7th Buddhist Film Festival now being held at the cinema hall at the BMICH.
Organised by the Light of Asia Foundation in partnership with the National Film Corporation, the international version of the award winning film “Sri Siddhartha Gautama” titled “Siddhartha the Buddha” will be launched during the festival. Over the years the event and the films of International standards have made it possible for the festival to grow towards its main objective of making “Sri Lanka the Centre for the Buddhist Cinema”.
The first International Buddhist Film Festival was started in 2009 and it has now become a well-known event in the capital during the Vesak week.
In 2013 the cinematic classic “Sri Siddhartha Gautama” was made and exhibited in the cinema circuit and the next year – 2014 in the Vesak Zone in Colombo. The international version of the film was officially launched on April 29 to the hierarchy of the Maha Sanga and the clergy, followed by an exclusive presentation to VIPs, diplomats and dignitaries on April 30. Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga was the chief guest at the opening of the film festival on April 29 while the Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera and Tourism Minister Navin Dissanayake participated as the guests of honour.
‘Cinema Dansala’ for the public will be started on May 3 at 7 pm with Asian Buddhist heritage exhibition and a vegetarian food festival. The cinema Dansala will include mobile phone film ‘Life’ directed by Maleesha Weeramanthri, documentary film ‘The Story of Buddhism’ by Indian director Benoy K Behl, short film ‘Sneakrama’ by Japanese filmmaker Kazuhiko Mizushina and animation film ‘Monkey Hunter’ by South Korean filmmaker Taeyouk Yeo.
On May 4, 5 and 6 public screenings of “Siddhartha the Buddha” will be held at 2.30 pm, 5pm and 7.30 pm and this will be followed by Cinema Dansala, Asian Buddhist Heritage exhibition and vegetarian food festival.