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| Bonjour
Cinema in Colombo Started in the year 2004 the Film Festival of French Speaking Countries is the second successful joint cultural effort organized by the Consulate of Belgium, the High Commission of Canada, the Embassy of France, the Embassy of Romania and the Embassy of Switzerland, in collaboration with the National Film Corporation. Ten films from these countries will be shown in two screenings daily during the five-day Festival. Over the past few years, the Embassy of France successfully organized annual Film festivals and in the year 2004, (with the intention of offering the Sri Lankan public a broader spectrum of films) the French diplomatic mission decided to invite other French speaking countries to participate in the event and thus, screened a collection of films that represent the richness and the diversity of the cinema industries of the above mentioned countries. In addition to the foreign films, two Sri Lankan films that have been honoured in France will be screened at this festival. These are ‘Wekanda Walauva’ (Mansion by the Lake) by Dr. Lester James Peries and "Thani Thatuwen Piyambanna" (Flying with One Wing) by Asoka Handagama. The Festival has four films from France and one each from Romania, Canada, Switzerland, Belgium and most of them were recent releases. The two Sri Lankan films Thani Thatuwen Piyabanna was released in 2003 and Wekanda Walauva is yet to released. The stories with character revelation, human struggle for survival and human relationships-the Bonjour Cinema brings a compact of human drama for the Sri Lankan filmgoers. Most of the films listed to be presented to Sri Lankan audience are internationally acclaimed at world renowned film festivals like Cannes and Venice. Directed by Cédric Klapisch 'Family resemblances' (Un air de famille (1996) France) is a typical family film: an abusive mother, the favourite and the not-so favourite sons, an unmarried daughter with a penchant for trouble. (March 16, Wednesday at 4.00pm). Set in the year 1925 Romanian film 'Ciuleandra' Puiu Faranga, son of minister of Justice in an irrational fit of jealousy, strangles his wife. Madalina. She had been born to a poor, peasant family, and Puiu's father had "bought" her to infuse new vigor into the family. She had been sent to the western countries to become a lady but, after her return, the young husband begins to be jealous and ends in strangling his wife. (March 16, Wednesday at 7.00 pm) Sentimental Destinies (Les destinées sentimentales)-2000 France was the official selection for Cannes Film Festival 2000 it was nominated for Cesar awards 2001 (French Academy of Cinema). (March 17,Thursday at 3.30pm) In The Left Side of the Fridge (La moitié gauche du frigo)-2000 Canada-Desperately searching for a job, Christopher, a young Engineer, agrees to let his best friend and room mate Stéphane, a social activist, film a documentary about his daily life - job interviews, going out with friends and even his flirtation with a cashier... (March 18 Friday at 7.00pm) Awarded as the Official Selection at the Venice Film Festival 2002- Man on the train (L'homme du train) (2002) France), the film is woven around Milan, an enigmatic, aging gangster, arrives by train in a small French town, where he meets Manesquier, who is as chatty and friendly as Milan is taciturn and reserved. Even though they appear to be complete opposites, they find that they have many things in common... (March 19, Saturday at 4 .00pm) In the South of the Clouds (Au sud des nuages (2002) Switzerland) - aging farmer, Adrien is a quiet man from a mountain village in the Swiss Alps. He convinces his friends to accompany him on a train ride to Beijing in the Trans-Siberian Express. At the last minute, they are joined by the talkative Roger. Going through Berlin, Moscow and Mongolia, Adrien's companions drop out until he is left alone with his polar opposite, Roger. (March 19, Saturday 7.00 pm) The Son (Le fils)- 2001 Belgium-narrates around Olivier who trains youths to a profession: Carpentry. He is divorced from Magali. She is expecting a child. The Son was the Official Selection at Cannes Film Festival 2002 and won the award for Masculine Interpretation at Cannes Film festival 2002. (March 20 Sunday at 3.30 pm) Set at a boys' boarding school in France,- The Fiends (Les diaboliques )-France has the plot that revolves around the cruel and sadistic headmaster (Michel), his mistress (Christina), and his ailing wife (Nicole). When a long weekend recess clears out the school of students, the two women poison his drink and finish him off by keeping his head under in the bathtub. (March 20, Sunday at 6.30 pm) The two Sri Lankan films chosen for screening Ashoka Handagama's Tani Tatuwen Piyambanna (Flying with one wing) has won Best Asian Film - Tokyo Film Festival 2002, Best actress - Singapore Film Festival 2003 and Audience Award - Toronto Film Festival 2002. (March 17, Thursday 7.oopm). Dr. Lester James Peries' Wekanda Walauwa (Mansion by the Lake) which was not screened in Sri Lanka yet had got a special screening at the Cannes Film Festival in 2003 and director was awarded "Fellini Memorial Medal" at Cannes 2003. (March 18, Friday 4 pm) The creamy cast includes Malini Fonseka, Vasanthi Chaturani, Paboda Sandeepani, Ravindra Randeniya, Sanath Gunatileke and Iranganie Serasinghe. The admission for the festival will be free. |
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