TV Times

TV Times

Sanath praises Sinhala film festival in Malaysia
By Susitha R. Fernando
A festival of popular Sri Lankan films was held to celebrate the Sinhala and Tamil New Year this month in Malaysia. Sanath Gunathilake had a hand in organizing the event at the invitation of the High Commissioner for Sri Lanka in Malaysia.

Sumithra Peries’ ‘Sakman Maluwa’ (The Garden), Sunil Ariyaratne’s ‘Sudu Sevaneli’ (Shadows of White), Prasanna Vithanage’s ‘Anantha Rathriya’ (Dark Night of the Soul) and Benette Ratnayake’s ‘Aswesuma’ (Compensation) were screened at the ‘Tanjong Golden Village’ at Kuala Lampur Convention Centre (KLCC)- (Patroness Twin Towers) from April 9 to 12.

The film festival was a part of a series of projects organised by the Sri Lankan High Commission to promote Sri Lankan arts and culture in Malaysia. ‘Sakman Maluwa’ was screened on the first day and Sanath Gunathilake who was there at the invitation of High Commissioner for Malaysia, Rosy Senanayake, was the chief guest.

In an interview given to the TV Times Sanath Gunathilake spoke highly of this event… “It was a gracious and an impressive event and the full credit should go to Rosy Senanayake, the High Commissioner for Malaysia and her staff who are doing a wonderful and marvellous job in promoting Sri Lanka”.

The policy on film screening informed us of the need to censure certain scenes in Benette Ratnayake’s ‘Aswesuma’ to which we objected saying it would affect the storyline.

While censoring five scenes including a rape, a murder and a torture scene the organizers did it in a systematic manner. First the audience was informed in advance by distributing handbills at the entrance that said certain sequences would be darkened in order to keep the audience away from it. Sanath was appreciative of the way how the authorities implemented the censorship requirements without harming the film or disturbing the audience unnecessarily. He also said “There was a good response for the Sri Lankan films and Malaysians were impressed by the presentation and the performance of our cast, but the lack of hi-hi tech filming and theatre system was noticed”. “For example none of our films was with digital sounds and as a result the incompatibility (sound) was felt with the tech theatre system”, he added.

Speaking of the benefits derived from the film festival “like making available the films screened at the festival to ASTRO television”, Sanath had an opportunity of meeting Mr. Ralf Marshal a Sri Lankan and a tycoon in IT and Mass Communications industry and the CEO of “ASTRO” one of the most popular TV Channels in Malaysia to discuss possibilities of developing long-term relationships with them in developing Sri Lankan Film Industry.

Sanath was happy that he was able to meet Mr. D. B. Nihalsinghe a veteran film director who is now attached to ASTRO TV and Radio station being an Executive Director of the film division. “This gave me an opportunity of meeting one of my ‘Gurus’said Sanath.

Sanath went on to mention that many of the Malaysians who were present at the film festival said Rosy Senananyake was doing a wonderful job in promoting Sri Lankan art and culture through this type of project. Sanath said he hoped there will be many such event in the future.

Mr. Gunathilake said SriLankan Airlines had to be thanked for sponsoring his trip as well as the transport of film reels of all films. In fact he wanted to extend his special thanks to Chandana de Silva - a key personnel at Sri Lankan Airlines, who coordinated this sponsorship and made all necessary arrangements.

He also thanked Mr. Che Din Sulaiman, Chairman of CD Holdings, Malaysia who had extended a generous financial contribution to make the film festival a great success.

Top