TV Times

TV Times

Vimukthi wins spurs in France
By Susitha R. Fernando
Vimukthi Jayasundera on his journey into the mysteries of the cinematic world reached the pinnacle when he was given recognition at the Cannes film festival in 2002.

This young Sri Lankan filmmaker was afforded the rare opportunity of a special screening at the Cannes festival. Back in Sri Lanka Vimukthi hopes to start production on his first feature film ‘Abandoned Love’ in early November.

Recalling his beginnings in the film directing he says the one episodic “Thimbiridaala” produced for the Rupavahini was rejected due to lack of dramatic effect.

“This made me realize the importance of being a responsible director when my one episodic drama which incurred a loss of Rs. 300,000 to the TVT, being rejected. This made me study the principles and culture of filmmaking. I studied the reviews which made me realize that filmmaking was not something that we are born with but something that has to be mastered,” Vimukthi told the TV Times.

Concentrating mainly in creating the “mood” or empathy rather than painting images Vimukthi goes on to explain his new film too mainly portrays the devastating the war brings about. He says that the film doesn’t have a story or a plot the emphasis is mainly on the ‘mood’.

To get nearest to the top as a filmmaker Vimukthi had to learn the hard way. Giving up his comfortable career as a copywriter and director TV commercials in an advertising firm he went to India for six months. He studied the cinema at Film and Television Institute of India for six months.

Coming back he was given a chance by the Government Film Unit to produce a short black and white film. With a purse of Rs. 5000 film equipments dating back to 1960’s Vimukthi went to Ranaviru Sevana and the result was “The Land of Silence” which was a labour of love. To film it he took nearly two years thus making it outdated for it was to mark the peace accord which by then had fallen through.

Vimukthi eager once again to learn more of film making applied to France’s Le Fresnoy a postgraduate Art School which combined in a course audio visual research and production techniques. The opportunity offered to twenty young filmmakers were to study filmmaking around the world for three years.

To begin with Vimukthi felt nervous to face the interview but when he realized that he was one of the sixty chosen he overcame his fears to be one of the twenty chosen at the second interview. He also passed out as a graduate from Le Fresnoy successfully.

Working on the practical aspects directing the short film ‘Empty for Love’, he had the privilege of screening his film at the official screening ‘Cinematheque Franais’ before eminent filmmakers as his audience. Having seen it there just after one week he received a ‘secret letter’ from the chairman of the Cannes film festival that his film was selected to be screened on the ‘mini feature film’ category of one of the leading festivals of this year.

From there Vimukthi was selected as one of the six ‘Promising Film makers’ by the same jury and it was with this success that Vimukthi was allowed access to a producer to direct a feature film.

Having overcome the initial obstacle of finding a producer Vimukthi has already Mapped out his first lengthy film titled ‘Abandoned Land’ which is the story about a small girl who shows her resentment against society by not talking.

Speaking on his newest effort he said; ‘the film has nothing to do with the war but what I wanted to create the special was mood which is between war and peace. Vimukthi has already selected the locations and the pre-production is to begin hopefully by next month.

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