TV Times

TV Times

‘Bora Diya Pokuna’ reels disappear in Washington
By Susitha R. Fernando
Two reels of young film maker Satyajith Maitipe’s ‘Boradiya Pokuna’ (Scent of Lotus Pond) sent to be screened at Smithsonian Institution in Washington last Sunday (December 5) were found missing.

The film was to be screened at 2 pm at Meyer Auditorium of Smithsonian Institution which was established to screen outstanding scientific and artistic creations. The Sri Lankan film which was selected as one of the six most exciting, entertaining and original from Asia for the year 2004 was to be screened under the theme ‘Discoveries-2004’.

Along with ‘Bora Diya Pokuna’ five other films ‘Spring Time in Small Town’ and ‘Cellphone’ from China, ‘Nine Soul’-Japan, ‘Millennium Mambo’-Taiwan and ‘Anaahat’ from India were to be screened.

The director had sent the full film with its nine reels through Fedex with sponsoring from Sri Lanka Film Corporation but the Film Programmer of Smithsonian Institution on December 3 had informed that two reels- a total of 20 minutes including the last scene were missing. The director was also informed that the film would be screened without the missing parts but the director had refused to screen the incomplete film requested to cancel the show. But with much persuasion of the audience the film had to be screened.

However, after getting down the missing parts, the organizing committee had agreed to screen the complete film once again on December 12 (today) at the same venue.

Prior to screening the film ‘Washington Post’ had introduced ‘Boradiya Pokuna’ as a film ‘at once a modern-day Buddhist parable, a deliciously juicy melodrama, and an astonishingly frank depiction of sexual obsession. Set in Sri Lanka’s lush countryside and packed with surprising twists and turns, it tells the story of Gothami, a willful young garment worker, her two housemates and the men in their lives. The film is intended for mature audiences’.

‘Bora Diya Pokuna’ is the maiden direction of young film maker Satyajith Maitipe who won the Sumathi award for Best Telefilm in 2000 and special Jury award at Sri Lankan Critic Award-2000 for his direction ‘Smarana Samapthi.

Dealing with a rectangular love in an urban setting where the youth who work in the garment industry and those who serve in the forces meet. The life style that sets a cultural, spiritual revelation is the theme. It evaluates the social political aspects and the sexuality of marriage and love that affects humanity in the context of the philosophy of Buddhism.

The film also was nominated to qualify for the Best three amateur films of the years at the Rotterdam Film Festival. Kaushalya Fernando award winning stage and TV actress and talented Dilani Abeywardena play main female lead roles while Daminda De Silva in his maiden effort plays the male lead. The cast also include many veteran actors and actresses including Irangani Serasinghe, Dharmasiri Bandaranayake, Veena Jayakody, Priyanka Samaraweera, Chandani Seneviratne, Chandra Kaluarachchi, Liyoni Kothalawela, Rohitha Karunaratne and child actress Pramudi Karunaratne.

The filming is done by Palitha Perera and Ravindra Guruge is the editor and the music director is Pradeep Ratnayake. Art director is Suneth Nandalal and G. Shivagurunadan, Ashoka Ariyaratne and Thilina Weerasinghe assisted in production.

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