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'Swarna
Felicitation' on Rupavahini This is the
first time that I have been so felicitated in Sri Lanka said Swarna
serenely when she was contacted at home. "Festival of my films have been screened in popular film capitals- Calcutta, Kathmandu and Dakha seven years ago," said Swarna recalling the past. So Rupavahini
has filled the need for Sri Lankan fans to enjoy and appreciate
films like, "Sagara Jalaya", "Maya", "Ayoma",
"Kedapathaka Chaya", "Yahalu Yeheli", "Hansa
Wilak" and "Suddilage Kathawa". Speaking to
TV Times on the decline in Lanka's film industry today she said
it was mostly due to economic and transport problems which turned
them away from films. Swarna says
she was fortunate to have started in the 60s. She is modest about
her achievements and goes on to say that even today there are many
talented actresses who are capable of achieving stardom. Starting with Siri Gunasinghe's "Sath Samudura", majority of films she acted were award winners. Having achieved Presidential merit award for the first time for her role in "Hansa Wilak", Swarna was able to bag all four main awards namely 'Sarasavi', 'Swarna Sanka', Presidential and OCIC awards for the Best Actress in her roles in the films "Sagara Jalaya", "Suddilage Kathawa" and "Kedapathaka Chaya". "Anantha Rathriya" (Dark Night of the Soul) in which she played the lead in 1996 to the direction of Prasanna Vithanage participated in several international film festivals and won a Jury's Special Mention at the first international film festival.
This film is
produced by Ceylon Theatres, the oldest cinema production company
in Asia to celebrate its 75th anniversary in the cinema industry.
Ceylon Theatres productions with Dr. Peiris include classic films
such as 'Nidahanaya', 'Akkara Paha' and 'Golu Hadawatha'. They also
helped Dr. Peiris to complete his film 'Rekawa' when it was in financial
difficulty. The director selected is Sumithra Peiris who is well known to handle innovative themes in the cinema and successfully achieving her objective in presentation. When contacted
at her residence in Dickman's Road, Sumithra who had just returned
from final visits to the locations spoke about the theme of her
latest directorial attempt. "It is
about a universal theme- the marriage". "Perception of
needs differs from person to person when faced with this issue,"
she said. Adding a note
on her own life Sumithra said "I have been in marriage for
40 to 50 years and I also have moved with lot of young people who
hold differing ideas on marriage". "The theme
could have allegorical elements of the biblical story where a snake
comes in between the man and the woman" she added. Describing
the finding of the story Sumithra said "While I was reading
Geodfrey Goonathilake's short story "The Garden" I realized
that it was ideal for the silver screen. But I had the
task of lengthening a few paged story into a feature film before
me. Dr. Peiris
always supportive had written the script based on a short story
by Godfrey Goonathilake. Responding
to why he turned to scriptwriting Dr. Peiris said this was not the
first time that he had engaged in such a task "I wrote the
original script for 'Rekawa', 'Sandeshaya' and also for 'Delowak
Athara'. He joined Tissa
Abeysekara to write the script for 'Nidhanaya' based on a six page
story of J. B. Dissanayake. After having
been a journalist for seven years in England and having worked for
seventeen newspapers simultaneously Dr. Peiris said "writing
a script is an investigation". "I liked it as I always
wanted to be a writer" said a contented script writer cum director. Ceylon Theatres
hope to release the film by September this year to coincide with
their anniversary. The film deals with the conflicting aspirations and outlook of a couple who are differently aged. Commemoration of 56th year of Sinhala Cinema The NFL is to
hold a series of programmes including exhibitions, seminars, film
shows and musical shows to mark the 56th year of the Sinhala Cinema
on 20 & 21 January 2003, from 8.30 am - 8.30 pm at John de Silva
Memorial Theatre premises, Colombo. The programme
of events will be organized by NFC in collaboration with an 'Affiliated
Committee' consisting of veteran film actors, actresses, directors
and critics. The exhibition
will include books, magazines, banners, equipment used in the film
industry, manuscripts of yesteryear, Film Artistes, photographs
of films and names and particulars of screened films uptodate. Outstanding
figures in the film field will deliver lectures and hold seminars
on both days. In addition,
famous film songs will be rendered by vocalists to the music provided
by the Army Musical Band. The two day
programme will be conducted by veteran film directors Sathischandra
Edirisinghe, K.A.W. Perera, H.D. Premaratne and artiste Francis
Wanniarachchi. - Ranjith Bandara Attanayake 'The
Long Kiss Goodnight' In this latest
adventure from renowned screen writer Shane Black (Lethal Weapon),
Davis portrays Samantha Caine, a suburban school teacher suffering
from amnesia. When Caine's mysterious past begins to haunt her idyllic
life, she sets out on a desperate search to discover her true identity.
"The long Kiss Goodnight" is directed by Renny Harlin. Aided by Mitch
Henessey (Jackson), a dead-beat private detective, the two follow
a trail of clues into the middle of a conspiracy led by rogue elements
of the U.S. intelligence community and a notorious international
arms dealer. They slowly learn that Caine is much more than a PTA
mom who cooks a mean lemon meringue pie. Repressed from
her memory is her former life as Charly Baltimore, a highly trained
secret agent involved in the government's most unscrupulous affairs.
But Charly is slowly re-emerging, and the protective instincts of
this doting mother must compete with the cold-blooded killer that
lurks deep within. Submerged in
a murky underworld with no boundaries for survival and no one they
can trust, Henessey must help Samantha Caine rekindle her dangerous
past. For without the full extent of her lethal skills, they will
never be able to confront Timothy (Craig Bierko), a vindictive enemy
who, along with some of Caine's former colleagues, is plotting one
of the most heinous acts of urban terrorism ever devised. Recognizing the threat that Samantha and Henessey pose to his operation, Timothy kidnaps Caine's eight-year-old daughter leaving the duo helpless to stop the inevitable destruction of a small town on Christmas morning.
Gamini Hettiarachchi,
Sahan Wimalasiri, Manohari Wimalatunga, Rasika Chamikara (Pingpong),
Nilanthi Dias, Upali Weerasinghe, Anura Srinath Hettiarachchi and
Renuka Wijetunga will be acting in this show. Music is directed
by Visharadha Edward Jayakody and produced by Mahinda Saliya. "Dummala Warama" is sponsored by "Yoshida" International School, Sapugaskanda. |
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Copyright © 2001 Wijeya Newspapers
Ltd. All rights reserved. |
Two shows of "Dummala Warama" produced by Ranjith
De Alwis will be staged today (January 19, 2003) at 3.30 pm and
6.30 pm at Elphinstone in Maradana.
