Young blood and new hopes for tomorrow’s cinema
The longest running short film festival in Sri Lanka, Agenda 14 short Film Festival, held for the ninth consecutive year recently introducing a large number of fresh and talented young artistes to the cinema.
The Best Film of the festival was awarded to Tharindu Ramanayaka who directed ‘Krimikosh’ (Cocoon) while the Jury Award was won by Chandana Prasanna’s ‘Magul Prajathanthrawadaya’. The other directions nominated for the Best short films were ‘Game Over’ by Malinda Hiddellaarachchi, ‘The Ruins’ by Senathirajah Vanitha and ‘Sweets’ by Thilina Udara.
The Best Animated short film award was bagged by Rahul Kumar’s ‘Mr. Flex’. The other nominations for this award were ‘Light and Life’ by M. K. R. Imalka, M. G. Upeksha Madhumini Mahawaththa and Aruni Nisansala Jayawardhana, ‘Me Kathawa Ahala Purududa?’ by Ravin Wettasinghe and NGage Strategic Alliance
The Human Rights Prize presented by Centre for Policy Alternatives was awarded to Hilusha Hewagama’ for his ‘Testimony of Silence’ and the other nominations were ‘White Van’ by A. Ravivarman and ‘Generations’ by Bavaneedha Loganathan.
The Most Gender Sensitive Film award presented by IMADR Asia Committee was won by Bavaneedha Loganathan’s ‘Generations’.
The nominations were ‘Fake ID is watching’ by Fathima Kamila and ‘Magul Prajathanthrawadaya’ by Chandana Prasanna.
Tharindu Ramanayaka
Sanjeewa Pushpakumara
Anomaa Rajakaruna
Started in 2011, the festival is the only successful short film festival that had been held continuously. The festival has serves as an important platform for the young filmmakers of tomorrow.
The 9th edition was held from December 13 to 15 at Goethe-Institut in Colombo with the participation of a large number of young filmmakers from all over Sri Lanka representing different racial, ethnic and religious communities.
“We received 87 films this year and 40 films were screened at the festival. Nearly 60 percent entries were from Western province and other entries were from Jaffna, Trincomalee, Mannar, Vavuniya, Kandy, Badulla, Monaragala, Hambantota, Puttalam, Matara and Galle,” Festival Director, Anomaa Rajakaruna, who has been carrying out the laborious task said.
Nimmi Harasgama
Asoka Handagama
Dr. Prabha Manuratne
Over the years the festival has been widening with new additions and participations.
“Interestingly there were an increased number of films by female filmmakers this year and increased number of animation films entered,” Rajakaruna added.
This year’s Master class was conducted by internationally awarded filmmaker Sanjeewa Pushpakumara on the theme “CHARACTER, in the creation of an effective film narrative”.
This year’s jury included Dr. Prabha Manuratne (President of the Jury), Asoka Handagama, Channa Deshapriya, Nimmi Harasgama and Muralitharan Mayuran. The main partner of the festival is Goethe-Institut.
Best Short Film Kirimikosh
Bavaneedha Loganathan receiving the Most Gender Sensitive Film award
Chandana Prasanna receiving Jury award for the Best Short film from Jury members Muralitharan Mayuran and Nimmi Harasgama
Hilusha Hewagama winner of Human Rights Prize
Most Promising Filmmaker Aritha Thisen Umagiliya
| The Best Short Film Award ‘Krimikosh’(Cocoon) by Tharindu Ramanayaka Jury Award ‘Magul Prajathanthrawadaya’ by The Best Animated short film award ‘Mr. Flex’ by Rahul Kumar Human Rights Prize-Award presented by Centre for Policy Alternatives ‘Testimony of Silence’ by Hilusha Hewagama Most Gender Sensitive Film award presented by IMADR Asia Committee ‘Generations’ by Bavaneedha Loganathan Best Animated Short Film – Award Mr. Flex by Rahul Kumar Most Promising Filmmaker ‘Catharsis’ by Aritha Thisen Umagiliya Outstanding Performances Antoinette Thilakshini Ratnayake in Generations Ensemble Performance by Magul Prajathanthrawadaya cast Best Cinematographer Dimuthu Kalinga for ‘Magul Prajathanthrawadaya’ Best Editor Chandana Prasanna for ‘Magul Prajathanthrawadaya’ Best Script Randi Pavi Kaluarachchi and Malinda Hiddellaarachchi for ‘Game Over’
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