‘Burning Birds’ wins best film in Geneva
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‘Davena Vihagun’-‘Burning Birds’ written and directed by Sanjeewa Pushpakumara won the Grand Prix- the best film award at the15th International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights in Geneva (FIFDH).
The film competed for the award with Academy (Oscar) awards winning ‘Moonlight’ (USA), the best director award winner at Berlin Film Festival Aki Kaurismaki’s ‘The Other Side Of The Hope’ ( Finland), Oliver Laxe’s best film winner at Cannes Crtic’s week ‘Mimosas’ ( France), Keywan Karimi’s ‘ Drum’ (Iran), Eliane Caffé’s ‘ Era o Hotel Cambridge ( Brazil), Daouda Coulibaly’ s ‘ Wùlu ( France / Senegal), Michele Placido’s Seven Minutes (Italy) and Bertrand Bonello’s ‘Nocturama’(France / Belgium). The film also received CHF 10,000 cash prize as well. The International Jury Fiction chaired by Mounir Fatmialogside Clarisse Colliard, Pinar Selek and Farzana Wahidy.
“Combining the art of cinema with talent and commitment to human rights, the filmmaker unveils the situation in Sri Lanka and courageously denounces the harsh reality of women living in war contexts,” the citation giving the Grand Prix Fiction and Human Rights award offered by the Barbour Foundation.
The Burning Birds also won the Young Jury Award offered by the special Youth Jury. The awards ceremony was held on March 18 2017 at ThéâtrePitoëff in Geneva. The festival was held from March 10 to 19 in Geneva.
Earlier the film was welcomed for the 46th International Film Festival Rotterdam where it won rave reviews from both public and critics. Parallel to Rotterdam festival the film was nominated for the prestigious the Ingmar Bergman Award at the 40th Göteborg International Film Festival ( Gutenberg) in Sweden as well.
Burning Birds is Sanjeewa’s second film followed by controversial ‘Flying Fish’ (IgillenaMaluwo). The film is a co-production among Sri Lanka, France, the Netherlands and Doha Qatar.
Burning Birds is produced by Antonin Dedet and Dominique Welinski (France) on behalf of Neon Production and Sanjeewa Pushpakumara on behalf of Sapushpa Expressions ( Sri Lanka).
The International sales agent of Burning Birds is Film Republic in London.
Mahendra Perera, Samanalee Fonseka, AnomaJanadari , Chandani Senavirathne,LeonieKotalawala, Pubudu Chathuranga, Priyanka Samaraweera,Dasun Pathirana,TissaBandaranayaka, Shyam Fernando, Dharshan Dharmaraj, Sanjeewa Dissanayake ,Dharmapriya Dias are playing in ‘Burning Birds’.