• TV Scene
• Party of bats & balls
• 'Aswesuma' travels to Canada
• 'Yakada Pihatu' ready to fly off
• Sathyajith taps new talent
• Long awaited 'Poronduwa'comes true
• New committee for HCIMA

TV Scene

• 'Amazon'
• 'Summer of the Monkeys'
• 'Sons of Thunder'
• 'Indiscretion of an American Wife'
• 'Charitha Hathak' completes first year

'Amazon'

Abandoned in a remote area of the Amazon Rain forest, the survivors are pitted against one of the most hostile dangerous environments on earth.

Encountering a mysterious legendary "Ghost' tribe descended from 17th century explorers, and threatened by natives, swarms of poisonous insects, venomous snakes, and big wild cats, they push themselvs to extremes in their attempts to escape or survive.

They have no way out. They have no weapons.. All they have is each other.. and the only thing that keeps them going... is fear.

On ITN at 6.00 pm on Saturday

'Summer of the Monkeys'

It's summer of fun, thrills and dangers no one will ever forget as Jay attempts to catch the elusive and infuriating monkeys. In the end, the boy captures the monkeys, but finds he must face sacrificing his dream for his sister's future.

Family Movie on ETV on Sunday, August 12 at 2.OO pm and Wednesday, August 15 at 8.00 pm .

'Sons of Thunder'

Six Part action Mimi Series from Wednesday, Augus15 to September 19 at 10.00pm MTV

'Indiscretion of an American Wife'

Beneath Julia's composed and beautiful exterior lies the heart of a true romantic. Passionate feelings that she has kept inside for years while married to Russell rise to the surface when she meets handsome vintner, Matteo Corbinelli (Andrea Occhipinti) at a soiree held at the U.S. Embassy. Days later, fate intervenes when they meet again at a winery just outside of Rome. 

On Swarnavahini at 9.30 pm on Monday with Sinhala Sub titles.

'Charitha Hathak' completes first year

The play involves 7 different characters (as the name suggests!) and revolves around a particular flight which has been stranded before take-off. This is a very unique play as the 7 characters are all dramatised by one actor (Wilson Gunaratne), each having a different personality, and more interestingly -a different voice. This is certainly a new experience for Sri Lankan drama, as it gives the audience the complete freedom and right to make the final judgment. It is a smart and witty comedy, and the laught just come tumbling in.

The above play is scheduled to go on boards on August 12 at the Elphinstone Theatre 3.30 and 6.30 pm.

Cast includes Wilson Gunaratne, Ramani Fonseka, Susil Perera and Premaratne Tennekoon.

Party of bats & balls

By Angie Cooke

The music provided by the band Wildfire hosted to party people, the atmosphere a relaxed and less formal one on the hotel's South Lawn. The music started off not too rough and just right to put people into the mood for dancing, picking up later to a faster, carefree beat. The garden party enabled everybody to be comfortable walking about or standing in groups just about wherever they chose rather than being restricted in a seat. The garden also provided ample dancing area, should the dance floor have become too crowded. Most guests were cricket loving youngsters, but also present were many top names in contemporary world cricket, out of their white gear and in casual clothing, relaxed and ready to party, their well-known faces not quite blending in with the crowd. The freedom provided by the casual and open atmosphere gave cricket fans an opportunity with close up photographs and personal autographs.

Tony Greig of Nine Networks Limited, the host of the party, handed out the awards, the first going out to New Zealand's cricketer Nathan Astle. Other award winners were Arjuna Ranatunga who was overseas and not present at the awards. Mutttiah Muralitharan, the team's captain Sanath Jayasuriya, Aravinda de Silva, India's Sourav Ganguli, and Harbhajan Singh.

Dumindra Ratnayake, CEO of Celltel was called upon to give out special Celltel awards to Arjuna Ranatunga, Muttiah Muralitharan, Sanath Jayasuriya and Sourav Ganguli.

A fashion extravaganza, organised by Limited Edition sported stunning fashions and creativity. The wicket.com is an online cricket magazine launched in April 2000, which provides detailed information and an expression of views on the game of cricket. Sunday Times was the official newspaper of this Cricket Party.

Pix by M. A. Pushpakumar

'Aswesuma' travels to Canada

The film has also been selected for the Montreal and Quebec City International Film Festivals in Canada next month.

The film won the Platinum award for the first direction at the 34th Houston International Film Festival and this was the first time that a Sri Lankan filmmaker is honoured with such an award.

Other international film festival that represented the film are Moscow IFF, Singapore IFF, and Kerala IFF. 

The film, depicting an old man's struggle to overcome his own guilt and his longing to correct some of the happenings for which he was responsible during the youth.

The story of the film revolves around elderly Guneris played by Joe, flashbacking to the 1940s, his youthful years. The young Guneris is played by Jackson Anthony who starts a fresh life with his young wife played by Sangeetha Weeraratne.

The rest of the cast includes German actor, Dr. Hans Nowak and British actress Helen Kelly with local cast comprising Sangeetha Weeraratne, Mahendra Perera, Hemasiri Liyanage, Indrajith Navinna, Saumaya Liyanage, Gamini Hettiarachchi playing the principal roles.

Technical crew played behind the camera in making 'Aswesuma' are, Stanley Alwis as the editor, while Sena Madulage does the art direction and Harsha Makalanda providing the music score.

While the script is by director Rathnayake himself, script development was from well known script writer Somaweera Senanayake and Tony Ranasinghe. 'Aswesuma' is produced by Samanmali Hewamanne.

'Yakada Pihatu' ready to fly off

"Yakada Pihatu" a story written and scripted by Udayakantha himself and the principal roles are played by Ranjan Ramanayake, Anoja Weerasinghe, Semini Eddamalgoda and Dilhani Ekanayake.

Edited by Stanley de Alwis, camera directed by Jayantha Gunawardena, film score by Ananda Perera and produced by Soma Edirisinghe. 

Director of films like 'Gini Avi Saha Gini Keli', 'Bahu Barya' and 'Rajya Sevaya Pinisai', 'Yakada Pihatu' also deals with a subtle human relationship between a widow and a soldier is the sixth directorial venture of Udayakantha.

Talking on Yakada Pihatu at its final stage Udayakantha told the TV Times that it was one of his dreams to come true as it he could finish the production successfully. "I'm sure that it would be a novel experience for all the movie-goers", he said. 

Meanwhile film "Rosa Wasanthaya" of the same director would be released on EAP circuit cinema soon. 

Rosa Wasanthaya a story published in a comic magazine is a love story which revolves around two boys of one whom has urban connection while the other is a rural lad. 

Sathyajith taps new talent

By Susitha R. Fernando

With the film nearly a hundred youngsters most of whom had gained experience from the stage would have the chance to use their talents in the celluloid world in acting and film making.

The cast include Kaushalya Fernando, Dharmasiri Bandaranayake, Dilani Abeygunawardena, Duminda de Silva, Gayan Lakruwan, Irangani Serasinghe Chandani Seneviratne and many others.

At the Muhurath ceremony held veteran film maker Lester James Peiris said there would be drastic changes in the making of films within next ten years and technology would play a big role in that and it was very interesting to see youngsters' interest in the art.

Directing a tele-film on an experience of the dark period of 1988 and 89 Sathyajith first introduced himself to the small screen and with his second directorial attempt in the silver screen.

The main actor and the actress are newcomers while a number of other newcomers too play main roles.

The film woven around relationships between a boy working in the forces and a girls working in the Free Trade Zone through one of the common social experience which made out of some true to life incidents.

Working in a garment factory the story revolves around three girls Gothami, Swinitha and Mangala who share a room in a boarding house.

Vipula young man attached to the nearby Air Force camp and deeply in love with Mangala, the more attractive girl among the three and she considers him her steady boyfriend.

Mixing up the messages Gothami desperately in need of a lover acts as the messenger in the affair and one day with her mistake a huge fight breaks between two lovers resulting Mangala leaving the boarding.

Gothami visits Vipula one evening and manages to seduce him and later he feels frustrated about the incident. Later he avoids Gothami and with the return of Mangala he restarts the affair.

However meeting Gothami and Vipula turns to a violent confrontation and there she threatens Mangala about what happened between them and she reveals that she is pregnant.

But abducted by some of Vipula's friends Gothami is threatened not to interfere with the relationship between Mangala and Vipula and she is offered money for an abortion. Leaving the friends Gothami suddenly disappears and next day she arrives at a village of her friend, Piyaseeli. Meanwhile she gives birth to the child and when pressurised by her friend to tell the child's father she leaves the child in a station. Later she leaves the country for foreign employment and returns after some time marrying a divorcee. Gothami who is in need of a child loses her second with a miscarriage and her husband helps to find her first child whom she left but realises that it is a futile.

One day she accidentally meets Mangala and Vipula with a child . With the meeting the broken friendship comes alive between Gothami and Mangala and Mangala discloses that she has adopted the child as she cannot have any children as a result of an unsuccessful abortion she had after a secret affair with a university student while she was in the boarding with others and which was kept secret up to that date.

The friends realises that they both were entangled in the same tragedy.

Directed by Sathyajith Maitipe, camera by Palitha Perera, edited by Daminda De Madawala 'Bora Diya Pokuna' is produced with the loan scheme of the National Film Corporation.

Long awaited 'Poronduwa'comes true

Film is the latest written and directed by Chandran Ratnam whose previous films had won international acclaim.

The film focusses on a girl who captivated by the world of love and responsibility around her makes a promise which becomes the focal point of the film.

While the principal roles are played by Ravindra Randeniya and Vasanthi Chathurani Irangani Serasinghe, Achala Alles, Ashoka Peiris and Shesha Palihakkara play the other leading roles.

The technical crew comprises Elmo Halliday as the editor, Errol Kelly as art director, Rohana Weerasinghe directs the filmscore and Sumedha Liyanage and Donald Karunaratne jointly handle the camera. The screen play is by the late Herbert Ranjith Peiris and Ratnam himself.

'Poronduwa' is produced by Ashoka Perera and is a presentation of Taprobane Films.

New committee for HCIMA

The picture shows Front row seated from left: Kushan Dharmawardena- Managing Director- Training Link International, Kirthi Wickremasinghe - General Manager- Berjaya Mount Royal Beach Hotel, Eardley Edirisinha - Principal - International Hotel School, Felix Rodrigo - General Manager - Browns Beach Hotel, Saman P. Rajapakse - General Manager- Villa Ocean View, M Shanthikumar - Director Operations - Holiday Inn, Paddy M Withana - Director - Keells Hotel Management Services Limited, Asoka Jayawardena- Manager HRD & Training - Keells Hotel Management Services Limited, Eraj Abeyewardena - Executive Assistant Manager - The Lanka Oberoi, Ronald Perera- General Manager- Hotel Sapphire, Damayantha Kuruppu- Managing Director - Gemini Lanka Pvt Limited, Renuka Jayamanna - Director / General Manager - Hospitality Management & Consultancy Associates.

Back row standing from left: Dilshan Kudahetti- Sales and Marketing Executive - Serendib Leisure Management, Lalith Rajapakse- Lobby Manager - The Lanka Oberoi, Jeewaka Perera- Assistant Manager- The Villa Riviera, Asela Pethiyagoda- General Manager - The Swiss Residence, Rauf Marfyn - Business Development Manager- Confifi Hotel Supplies, Kamal Hapuwatte - Director Human Resoruces - Serendib Leisure Management, Wasula Wijegunawardena - Human Resources Manager- Trans Asia Hotel, Lasantha Perera - Director - International Enterprises Limited, Jude De Silva - Director / General Manager - Camelot Beach Hotel, Pulinda Fernando - Manager Operations - Keells Restaurants.

Shafeek Wahab - Director Sales - Trans Asia Hotel, Lt. Col. Chandra Perera - General Manager - Wadduwa Holiday Resort, Gemunu Weerasinghe - Manager - The Lodge Habarana, Kumar Perera - HRD Manager - Aitken Spence Group of Hotels, Nishantha Manawadu - Group Training Manager - Serendib Leisure Management, Hemantha Ratnayake - Manager Operations - Aitken Spence Group of Hotels, Upali De Silva - Director - Ceylon Tourist Board, Romesh Dassanayake - Managing Director - Sunway Holiday are the other office bearers not in the picture.

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