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Kala Korner - by Dee Cee

Tribute to our great filmmaker
The 'guru' was felicitated in grand style on his 85th birthday - April 5. It was 'house full' at the Galle Face Hotel's Lotus Room when a distinguished gathering of film artistes, friends and close relatives came to wish Dr. Lester James Peries 'happy birthday' and good health. He was being recognised for his contribution to Sinhala cinema over the past five decades.

During the past few years something meaningful has been done every year to mark Lester's birthday. Last year, a study on his second Sinhala film 'Sandesaya' was released. In 2001, a stamp was issued in his honour - the first time that a stamp was released of a contemporary Sri Lankan artiste. This year saw the release of a pictorial biography of Lester's life and work by Prof. Sunil Ariyaratne.

It took Sunil two years to compile this beautiful commemorative volume. "I had just 12 days to finish the artwork," reputed graphic designer Gunasiri Colambage told me. But he was pleased with the outcome.

Lester was happy that in the absence of a film archive (he has been agitating for one since 1957), there is at least a collection of stills from all his films (18 in all) in printed form for future generations to see. He was surprised how Sunil had collected so many pictures, 200 in all.

Sunil Ariyaratne insists that the book is not a research study. "What I have tried to do is to record certain interesting happenings in the life of this great filmmaker. I have attempted to make it very readable and present it in the style of a coffee table book," he said.

Tissa Abeysekera who has been closely associated with Lester in his films as a script/dialogue writer and assistant director, refused to see it as merely a coffee table book. "This should not be a mere display item in the drawing room. It is much more than that. Sunil has done a fine job in presenting an extremely interesting work on Lester," he said.

As for Lester's contribution to Sinhala cinema, Tissa said that he introduced a particular syntax, grammar and style of moviemaking. He was responsible for a cinema rooted in aesthetics and realism.

Translation
Tissa has been given the task of translating the text into English, which he admitted is going to be tough. "One cannot really do justice to Sunil's style of writing. He writes so well," he said.

The book has been a costly exercise. According to the author it cost Rs.970,000 for 500 copies. Publisher Sirisumana Godage came forward to bear the expenses as a service to cinema. A part of the money was given by the President's Fund.

A hurriedly arranged committee did a good job in organising the ceremony. Lester had insisted there should not be any function for his birthday particularly because wife Sumitra had not been in the best of health.

Once they got Sumitra's blessings, they had swiftly made the arrangements. People's Bank promptly agreed to sponsor the event to pay tribute to our internationally renowned filmmaker.

Talented musician Jagath Wickremasinghe, in his inimitable style added colour to the evening with popular songs from Lester's films ranging from Rekawa's 'Olu nelum neriya rangala' to 'Rangana Rangum' from 'Delovak Atara'.

'The Lonely Artist'
One of the early books, if not the first, on Lester was by eminent journalist and art critic Philip Coorey who wrote 'The Lonely Artist' way back in 1970. It was a critical introduction to Lester's films and covered the development of the Sinhala cinema, analysed Lester's work, along with a long essay on his creative vision including an interview with him. It also had five essays by Lester himself on various aspects of his work. It was a pioneering effort being the first book in English on any aspect of Sinhala cinema.

Calling him "the pre-eminent filmmaker in Ceylon today", Philip Coorey wrote that his work "is gradually getting wider appreciation abroad too.” That was the time Lester was working on 'Nidhanaya'. "Once again the inner drama is predominant; perhaps the time may come soon when he will make an un-Lester-like film, and astound his friends, his critics, and his audience," Cooray said.

Lester has since then gained global recognition and won plaudits the world over. Awards are aplenty for his creations. As he steps into the 86th year, let us wish him 'Chirang Jayatu'!

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