World premiere for ‘Aloka Udapadi’ at IFFI
“Aloka Udapadi’- ‘Light Arose’, debut direction of Chathra Weerman has been selected to represent Sri Lanka at the 47th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), one of Asia’s oldest and India’s biggest film festival held in Goa.
Launched in 1952, the IFFI, one of the ‘A’ Grade film festivals has more than 300 films from 90 countries for screening. The festival is organised by the Directorate of Film Festivals and the Entertainment Society of Goa, which functions under the aegis of the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Goa government respectively. The world premiere for ‘Aloka Udapadi’ was held at this festival on November 21.
‘Aloko Udapadi’ is a cinematic depiction of the important chapter of the Sri Lanka’s history. It narrates around the recording of the Buddha’s Dispensation, in written form, after long centuries of oral tradition in a turbulent historical backdrop.
Produced by Thusitha Wijayasena for Art Movies and screenplay written by Saman Weeraman, the film revolves around how the leading Sri Lankan Buddhist monks, recorded the sacred word of the Supreme Buddha in writing, while the land was aflame with war and famine, in the days of the Sri Lankan King Walagamba, 2100 years ago.
The main cast of ‘Aloko Udapadi’ includes Uddika Premarathne, Dilhani Ekanayake, Nirosha Thalagala, Roshan Ravindra, Menaka Peiris, Mauli Matheesha, Nayana Manujitha, Dineth de Silva, Ajith Kumara, Nihal Fernando, Kapila Sigera, Dilip Manohara, Cletus Mendis, Darshan Dharmaraj, W. Jayasiri, Buddhadasa Withanarachchi and Janak Premalal.
Behind the screen director of photography is Prabath Roshan, music director is Milinda Thennakone, Shan Alwis is the editor and Sasika Ruwan Marasinghe is sound designer.
Celebrating 70 years anniversary to Sri Lankan cinema, the film will be released on January 20, 2017 at EAP, National Film Corporation (NFC) and other circuit cinemas around the country.
Director Chathra Weeramanthri
Chathra and producer at the IFFI in India
