Hopes for the future of South Asian cinema
The fourth edition of the Jaffna International Cinema Festival which was concluded on Monday October 8, displaying much hopes for South Asian cinema.
The Festival’s most prominent award for the Best Debut Film was aptly awarded to Noor Imran Mitthu the director of ‘Komala Rocket’ or ‘The Orange Ship’, a socio-economic analysis of Bangladesh or any other developing country in the region. The film set in a moving and at times stranded steamer boat, is truly a masterpiece and a ‘complete’ cinematic creation.
In selecting ‘Komala Rocket’ as the winner, the jury comprising Saffaa Elaisy Haggag (Egypt), Urvashi Archana (India) and Muralitharan Mauran (Sri Lanka), read in their citation, “the way the director faces the challenge of putting many characters in one location is remarkable. He has crafted strong and complex characters, stitched up different stories along with the panorama of the main story line. The single location represents most of the country’s class differences, conflicts, contradictions and lifestyles. The movie gives life to three objects in it, a ship, a coffin and a dead body,”.
The two other films nominated for the award were young Indian director Arnab Middya’s ‘Andar Kahini’ or ‘Self Exile’, comprising four different stories merged into one with one main protagonist ‘woman’ and Lokesh Kumar’s (India) maiden film ‘My Son is Gay’.
The award for the Best Short film- International was won by Pooja Gurung and Bibhusan Basnet’s French-Nepali co-production ‘Dadyaa’ or ‘The Woodpeckers of Rotha’. The other nominated short films were Miroslav Sikavica’s ‘The Beast’ (Croatia) and Barbara Cariry’s Alice’s Song (Brazil).
Festival organiser Anomaa Rajakaruna
Carla Maria Losch
In selecting the winner, the jury comprising of Carla Maria Losch (Germany), Aunohita Mojumdar (India) and Dr. S. Jeyasankar (Sri Lanka) stated “We, the jury members, like when the filmmaker takes risks and tries to find new forms of expression for the story. Two elderlies live deep in the woods, creating puppets. In their imagination, those puppets are brought to life. It’s the absence of beloved ones and the family, the cruelty of solitude and loneliness that has a deep impact on the audience. We acknowledge its rhythm and mystical aesthetic language”.
The Best Short Film - National was won by Dulanka N. Devendra for his film ‘Children of White’. Referring to Dulanka’s film, the short film jury announced “ the film is ‘great’ because it allows us to see and understand the other, sometimes even someone who we assume is totally different from us.
This film from behind the border questions a commonly very negative portrait – the filmmaker is curious to see and understand what’s behind. We embrace the film for its message, as it has the courage to break down walls. Karl Marx said, art is not to imitate, but to form reality”. Dulanka also won the Ceylon Theatres Award for Best National Short Film along with cash prize.
Two other nominations were Thisara Mangala Bandara’s ‘A Story Nobody Cares About’ and Tharindu Lokuarachchige’s ‘Frozen Heart’. Audience Award for the Most Popular Short Film was won by ‘Wedimaniyamum Idiyan Thuwakkum’ directed by Mathisutha.
The Lifetime Acheivement Award of the 4th JICF was awarded to Vyramuthu Vamadevan, a veteran filmmaker who was born in Jaffna. The chief guest of this year’s festival was world renowned Malayalam filmmaker Shaji Narayan Karun.
The Best debut film winner Noor Imran Mitthu, the director of ‘Komala Rocket’ receiving his award from Shaji Narayan Karun. Pix by Thusitha Chandrakumara
‘Self Exile’ director Arnab Middya receiving the certificate for his nomination from Saffaa Elaisy Haggag
Sri Lankan young filmmaker Dulanka N. Devendra who won the Best Short Film award- National for his film ‘Children of White’
Audience Award for the Most Popular Short Film won by Mathisutha
The Lifetime Acheivement Award of the 4th JICF was awarded to veteran filmmaker Vyramuthu Vamadevan. On his behalf his grandson receiving the award
Main festival venue Majestic Cineplex Jaffna