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“Forsaken land’ forsaken on army’s behalf?
The producer of Cannes award winning film Sulanga Enu Pinisa (The Forsaken Land) has called for a halt to its screening, but the National Film Corporation (NFC) is refusing to do so. Earlier in the week the movie’s director along with three others were advised by army top brass that they “would have to face the consequences if they continue to produce movies of this nature.’’

Sulanga Enu Pinisa Producer Upul Shantha Sannasgala told this newspaper that he has called for the halt to its screening, as the NFC has withdrawn the film from the five mainline cinemas prematurely. They have not given the producer any good reason for this move he said. A spokesman for the NFC however said, “the withdrawal was on prior agreement with the producer, as the film Sulanga was to be screened in place of Sulanga Enu Pinisa.”

“Is it a case of Sulanga Enu Pinisa being ditched for ‘Sulanga’ enu pinisa – to make room for Sulanga?” “It cannot be – it’s a cover for outside pressures,’’ says Sannasgala, but the NFC spokesman states that the entire brouhaha is probably “a publicity gambit by the producer and the director of Sulanga Enu Pinisa.’’ The spokesman also says that the film corporation will continue to screen Sulanga Enu Pinisa whether the producer of the movie likes it or not, as it is “an international award winning film which we are proud to exhibit.’’
Producer Sannasgala promises to obtain a court injunction to have his own film stopped, as he says that running it in the alternate circuit when the film is making money in the mainline cinemas looks like an act of sabotage on the part of the NFC.

“Can they say that they will run the movie against my wishes? How can they do that when I have stopped the poster campaign, and the promotion? How will I generate adequate financial returns in this atmosphere of protest?” he asks.

Sannasgala says that the reason for the NFC’s decision to withdraw his movie is most probably due to “outside pressure’’ on the NFC, but he declines to name names. Meanwhile the Free Media Movement (FMM) has issued a statement against the Army’s accusation of “new terrorism’’ aimed against film makers Prasanna Vithanage, Sugath Mahadivulweva, Asoka Handagama and Vimukthi Jayewadene, calling for an immediate halt to this sort of intimidation by the Army.

The FMM also sates that “filmmakers such as Vimukthi Jayasundera now face calls to leave the country and others have had to face serious problems.’’ FMM spokesman Sunanda Deshapriya also claims that he has been threatened for issuing the statement.

Brigadier Daya Ratnayake and Vice Admiral Sarath Weerasekera were both present at the informal meeting held at the premises of an advertising agency last week at which the film directors present were advised that they will have to face the consequences of their filmmaking if war breaks out, unless they will “also make films on behalf of the army.’’ Former NFC director Tissa Abeysekera who was present at the meeting however is said to have been sympathetic to the cause of the artistes.

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