Munchee with Punchi Tharaka

With the success of 'Punchi Tharaka-2006', the mega show organised to educate school going younger generation to appreciate Sri Lankan cinema and film music, 'Munchee Samaga Punchi Tharaka' is to be organised for the year 2007. In association with National Film Corporation (NFC), Ceylon Biscuits Limited (CBL) has come forward to sponsor the massive event which is going to be a showcase of talents for school going children.

NFC Chairman Ashoka Serasinghe

Keeping a step forward, this year's show will go out of Colombo in search of hidden talent and sharing knowledge on cinema. Munchee Samaga Punchi Tharaka will go island wide in all the provinces except the North and the East. One of the targets of the series of shows is to develop a fund to take the film education to schools.

'Cinema Kala Sisudaru Aramudala' is used to share the knowledge of cinema among school children. Joining hands with the Education Ministry, the NFC invites schools to apply for the show before July 21 with their creative performances using songs from Sinhala cinema. Applications could be obtained from the National Film Corporation, 303, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo-7.

Initially 20 schools will be selected from each district and would select the best performances for the provincial event."The project is not limited to children's performance only. Parallel to the show, film education programmes will be organised among the schools," says the NFC chairman Ashoka Serasinghe.

From August 20, workshops will be organised in each district with the participation of 300 to 350 students. NFC Chairman said that these workshops could be continued up to making video productions by the children. In addition, an essay competition will be organised among the children on themes on cinema.

The show for the Colombo district will be held on World's Children Day, October 1 at the BMICH. Speaking at the event Nandana Wickremage, Director Marketing and Sales of CBL said that its effort is to prepare the next generation to love the art of cinema.