Prasanna takes Indo-Lanka ‘Paradise’ to Busan
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By Susitha Fernando
Experienced filmmaker Prasanna Vithanage’s newest directorial venture as an India-Sri Lanka co-production ‘Paradise’ was premiered at Busan International Film Festival in Korea on Saturday, October 7.
Produced by Anto Chittilappilly of Newton Cinema and presented under the banner of renowned Indian filmmaker Mani Ratnam’s, Madras Talkies, the film will be released across India and Sri Lanka early next year.
Scripted by Prasanna Vithanage and Anushka Senanayake, Paradise is a multilingual Hindi, Malayalam and Tamil feature shot completely in Sri Lanka.
Like Prasanna’s last film, ‘Gaadi’ (Children of the Sun), ‘Paradise’ premiered at Busan and it is in competition for the Kim Jiseoak Award, a category for more established filmmakers from Asia with a portfolio of more than three feature films.The award was named after former programmer director of the Busan Film Festival.
‘Busan is important for me because 28 years ago I won my first award Jury Special Mention for my film “Anantha Rathiya” and I am glad to be there’ said Prasanna Vithanage the day before he was to leave for Korea.
Other films that to be competed in the sections are ‘24 Hours With Gaspar’ directed by Yosep Anggi Noen (Indonesia), ‘At The End Of The Film’ by Ahn Sunkyoung (Korea), ‘Blesser’ directed by Lee Sangcheol (Korea), ‘Bride Kidnapping’ by Mirlan Abdykalykov (Kyrgyzstan), ‘Doi Boy’ by Nontawat Numbenchapol (Thailand, Cambodia), ‘Ichiko’ directed by Oda Akihiro (Japan). ‘Moro’ directed by Brillante Mendoza (Philippines). ‘Something Like an Autobiography’ by Mostofa Sarwar Farooki (Bangladesh) and ‘The Moon’ directed by Ishii Yuya (Japan).
In a rare instance, ‘Paradise’ is also representing both India and Sri Lanka at Busan. “This is my Indian language film and it is pan Indian movie that will be released in Malayalam, Hindi and Tamil,’ Prasanna said referring to films marketed and released in multiple Indian languages and also those have a nationwide appeal.
Prasanna Vithanage
Speaking about collaboration with Mani Ratnam who is famed for his films ‘Roja’ , ‘Bombey’ and latest release ‘Ponniyin Selvan I and II’ Prasanna said that having seen the film after it was edited, Mr. Ratnam agreed to present it under his banner-Madras Talkies.
‘From this film Mr Ratnam has given an anchor from India. Stars in the film Roshan Mathew and Darshana Rajendran are known in Malayalam and outside Kerala. When Mani Ratnam giving his banner meaning we are welcoming you. For that I am grateful to Mr. Ratnam’ Prasanna said describing the important achievement by Sri Lanka to enter Indian film distribution market.
‘Mr. Ratnam had seen all my films from ‘Ira Mediyama’ (August Sun) onwards. After seening ‘Oba Nethuwa Oba Ekka’ or “With or without you’ he cast Shyam Fernando for his newest film ‘Ponniyin Selvan’. This was not sudden thing as he saw my last film ‘Gaadi’ and was happy about it’ Prasanna said.
‘We are making films after series of debacles starting from the Easter Sunday attack, Covid pandemic which forced even to close down cinemas for a long time and then economic catastrophe, which hit hard on all economic activities and businesses including filmmaking’ said Prasanna, one of the established filmmakers in present Sri Lankan cinema.
It was during the crisis that Newton Cinema, with whom Prasanna was in contact agreed to produce the film.
‘This investment came last December. While people are trying to get visa to leave the country I am thankful that I managed to get this investment. I am pretty sure we would be able to get more investments for Sri Lankan cinema’ he said.
‘From survival and to sustain cinema and our expression, we should think beyond Sri Lanka and find new markets that would definitely help us to sustain their voices. In this film I am talking about Indians and about Sri Lanka as well’ Prasanna explained.
‘We use film festivals as platform to go beyond Sri Lanka and cinema is a universal language and we should use the language universally and try out to get to the world’ the filmmaker said while adding that all his films which were used to voice his expression have been accepted in India.
Asked about the younger generation and possibility of achieving similar feats, Prasanna said, “I am sure they should be inspired and get there. I am being inspired by the generation before us like Dr. Lester James Peries and Tissa Abyesekera. I am sure the younger generation should think beyond Sri Lanka and try to overcome geographical boundaries. If that is happening I would be very happy,” he said.
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