Winner of Venice Days section of the Venice Film Festival-2008, 'Machan', a real life drama on a group of young Sri Lankans' smart flight to Europe, is now being screened at Regal- Colombo and other CEL circuit cinemas around the country.

Directed by Academy nominated Uberto Pasolini, the film is co-produced by Prasanna Vithanagage and scripted by Ruwanthie de Chikera.

Dharmapriya Dias and Gihan de Chikera in ‘Machan’

Woven around the much debated issue of illegal immigrants of poor Developing World to rich Europe in search of wealth and happiness for their kith and kin, the film narrates in a lighter, satirical and comic manner.

‘Machan’ is based on a true story of fake 'Sri Lankan National Handball Team' which went to Germany for a youth exchange programme in Bavaria and disappeared into Europe most probably to Italy. The group comprised of poor shanty dwellers who lost all their wealth to pawn brokers and fake foreign agencies to sons of rich families who are in search of work in Europe, grave diggers to English educated clerks, bogus middlemen who involved in human trafficking in the region to law enforcing policemen who are desperate on their state of living and destined to take any risk for the sake of entering the world of whites.

Centre of human smuggling in the region, Pasolini's Sri Lanka is a place where Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and Nepalese, the poor 'brothers' of the region get together to take off for greener pastures. And yes, it is a fact that many in the region use Sri Lanka, specially the parts of the Western coast, as boarding point to Europe. Presented with a mild satire 'Machan' perfectly presents the cleverness of Lankans who takes only a few minutes to prepare a forged birth certificate, passport or even a Schengen visa.

But Pasolini justifies all these as the poor nations were forced to resort to such illegal means in order to secure a safe and satisfactory life for their loved ones.

"I think the way the rich countries are handling the immigration problem is wrong. Instead of making laws and preventing people from this region coming to Europe they must introduce a safe and proper system to use their labour," said Pasolini to the TV Times.

And I don't think England would be able to run without the service of those migrants from had gone there from different parts of the world. "I have talked to many of those who left for Italy and those who are waiting to go there. And they do not want to live away from their parents, families and villages. What they only want is to live there for a few years and earn a little bit of money and return. Since this opportunity is blocked by Europe they were forced to resort to dangerous and unsafe means, at times even at the risk of their lives," the filmmaker said.

"For me they are heroes," Passilini summarised. And 'Machan' also discussed the internationally important and timely issue of illegal immigrants.

Awarding the Europa Cinemas Label as Best European film in the Venice Days section of the Venice Film Festival, the Jury itself stated, "Immigration is a very real issue in Europe today and this is an enjoyable, well written and well directed film that makes its point with humour and without lapsing into cheap sentimentality. We feel that the film can attract and entertain a wide audience around Europe and contribute to discussions of this important subject."

And the cast selected for 'Machan' too make an interesting combination which included familiar names in the films, Malani Fonseka, Iranganie Serasinghe, Mahendra Perera, Saumya Liyanage and talents in Sri Lankan TV, Dayadeva Edirisinghe, Dharmapriya Dias, clever stage actors in both English and Sinhala theatre Mohamed Adamally , Gihan de Chikera, Namal Jayasinghe and Sujeewa Priyalal.

'Machan' is a cinematic experience with a fine blend of satire, comedy yet real life story of courage and cleverness of islanders that should never be missed.