A hope-filled young filmmaker Aruna Paththinige has completed his maiden film ‘The Hope’ – ‘Balaporoththuwa’, a film revolving around three-characters representing earth, sky and sea.
Adding colours and developing sound qualities, the film is given final touches and would hopefully be released at the end of this year. A cinematic poem recited with beautiful and innovative camera angles, ‘The Hope’ or ‘Sun Will Rise Tomorrow’ has a commercial touch with its musical presentation and the filmmaker Aruna Paththinige.
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| Deva S. Jayasinghe, Menaka Gardhi and N.B. Jayathilaka in a scene from ‘The Hope’ |
Written by Nihal Bandara the film is set in the backdrop of a war and discusses the horrible realities of war without bringing a single war scene.
Together with the director, ‘The Hope’ introduces three new faces to the cinema Deva S. Jayasinghe (Samudra), Menaka Gardhi (Bhumi) and N.B. Jayathilaka (Akash).
“It was a challenge to work with an all new cast in my first film. But with their dedication and commitment I was able to overcome all difficulties,” Aruna, the budding filmmaker said.
Made into two parts-- ‘Death’ before the intermission and ‘Life’ after it’s intermission, the film portrays Samudra, a former doctor who has taken up meditation and lives in a forest where there are fights between the army and the terrorists. One day he comes across an injured soldier, Akash and looks after him. Though with conflicting ideas, the two become friends. Next the double meet ‘Bhumika’, a suicide bomber a stunning beauty.
She is on a mission to blast herself at a sport festival. At the last moment she changes her mind and runs away. It is during her run that she comes across the young injured soldier and middle-aged doctor who had taken up meditation. The peaceful living of the two men is shattered with the entrance of this young woman.
Akash is angry with Bhumika, the Tamil girl and in turn she threatens him with the bomb fixed to her body. This leads to suspicion, losing their peace of mind and meditation. However finally they agree to remove the bomb from Bhumika and get out of the fear of death that was haunting the three of them.
With the second half, ‘Life’, the film is taken to a different level where the three agree to live in peace and harmony. But the new relationship develops into a triangular love, where Sinhala soldier had fallen in love with once suicide bomber while the doctor dedicated his life to meditation too was secretly in love with her.
Shot in one of the most beautiful locations in Reverstan, Matale, the film is scheduled to have its premier in Italy while it is planned to be sent to a number of international film festivals.
Co-produced by Leelasena Sarukkalige, the films art direction is by Jayampathi Narampanawa, the musical score by Asoka Kolavilage. Its choreography is handled by Moksha Samarasuriya and the assistant directors of ‘The Hope’ are Bandula Godakumbura, Chaminda Walivitigoda and Niroshani Dissanayake.
Aruna turns TV producer to filmmaker
Born in hill-country, Kandy Aruna took up filmmaking from his decade of experience as a TV producer. Having joined Swarnavahini, Aruna produced a number of programmes ‘Gamanak Yamu’, ‘Harabara Irida’, ‘Mal Mitiyawatha’ and ‘Mul Pituwa’ with veteran journalist Bandula Padmakumara which became a landmark in his television career.
It was Nalin Karunaratne who realized my talents and gave me an opportunity to become a producer, says Aruna with gratitude.
But meeting late filmmaker H. D. Premaratne at EAP gave him new insight and broadened his idea about media and specially cinema. “We had a lot of plans with Mr. Premaratne but unfortunately with his untimely death we could not achieve them,” Aruna said.
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