Experienced filmmaker Bennet Ratnayake’s latest film ‘Ira Handa Yata’ (Under the Sun and Moon) garnered further international acclaim winning ‘Honourable Mention’ at the recently concluded Los Angeles International Film Festival.
The film, a story of a soldier amidst war was among the eleven Feature films selected for Honourable Mention in the Feature film section of the festival which was founded by and for independent filmmakers who seek to recognize the craft of filmmaking and storytelling. The festival seeks to showcase and honour innovative new voices in the American and international film communities.
Earlier ‘Ira Handa Yata’ which was premiered at the 23rd Singapore International Film Festival was nominated for the Silver Screen award and listed among the Best 12 films produced in the year 2009. The film was also nominated for ‘Best Performance’.
Bennet directed ‘Ira Handa Yata’ following his two successful directorial ventures ‘Aswesuma’ (Compensation) and ‘Sulanga’ (Wind). ‘Ira Handa Yata’ which conveys the important message to all humanity that the rays of the sun and the moon are common to all human beings despite all racial, religious and ethnic differences and that we are all an integral part of this nature is set during the war from 1994 to 2004 and revolves around two soldiers who were captured by the LTTE. The film shows the confession of one soldier who regrets thinking that he was responsible for the death his colleague.
The massive cast includes Mahendra Perera, Palitha Silva, Chandani Seneviratne, Roger Seneviratne, Kaushalya Fernando, Damitha Abeyratne, Bimal Jayakody, Udara Rathnayake, Saumya Liyanage, Swineetha Weerasinghe, Veena Jayakody, Jagath Benaragama, Suminda Sirisena, Rangana Premaratne, Ajith Lokuge, Bennet Rathnayke, Sathischandra Edirisinghe, Kumara Thirimadura, Baghya Rathnayake, Nadaraja Sivam, Samanmalee Hewamanne, Dee. Ga. Somapala, Sampath Jayaweera, Darshan Dharmaraj together with newcomers Sheryl Becker and Dharshani Tasha.
Jointly scripted by Bennet Rathnayake and Sarath Gamlath, the film is produced by Samanmalee Hewamanne, Oliver Fernando, Ruwan Jayasinghe, Vijitha Herath (UK) and Dilan Fernando. |
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