One of the most respected religious leaders who is responsible for introducing a large number of cinema artistes and filmmakers to Sri Lanka cinema, Rev. Fr. Ernest Poruthota will be in focus in this week’s ‘Alakamandawa’ television programme.
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| Rev. Fr. Ernest Poruthota |
Fr. Poruthota who is a writer, cinema critic and lover of cinema has always stood against censorship on cinema and been outspoken whenever it was necessary.
Retied from the parish work, Fr. Poruthota has started to continue to serve cinema and art with his writing.
Celebrating his eightieth birthday next month and retiring from the parish service after 55 years of service, Fr. Poruthota says that his retirement from parish work will allow him to dedicate more time to writing. During his more than five decades of service he had contributed a lot to the Sri Lankan cinema industry and literature.
Fr. Poruthota as the founder director of OCIC, the Sri Lanka branch of the International Catholic Organization for Cinema now known as SIGNIS, played a major role in Sri Lankan cinema to introduce many filmmakers in the industry today and recognize and reward their talents through SIGNIS Salutation held every year.
An outstanding personality and a national figure in Sri Lanka due to his immense contribution towards Catholic Literature and the Sri Lanka Media, among the Catholics he is popular as a priest with progressive and radical ideas.
A great lover of cinema even at an early age of his priestly life in the seminary, Fr. Poruthota authored a book titled “Chitrapata Gena” (About Cinema) in 1965. He was also a founder member of the Film Critics and Journalists Association of Sri Lanka (FOAC), which was formed in 1968.
Hailing from the western coastal village of Marawila, Fr. Poruthota entered the priestly mission in February 1957 as a secular priest and was appointed as an assistant parish priest at the St. Lucia’s Cathedral, Kotahena. Since then he has served as a parish priest in Dehiyagatha (Ja-Ela), Moratuwa, Pamunugama, Kelaniya, Dehiwala, Kalamulla, Kotte, Wattala and finally at St. Anthony’s Church Kirimetlyagara, Kadawatha.
Starting a journalistic career at the National Seminary Ampitiya he contributed to “Gnanartha Pradeepaya”, “Catholic Messenger” and other national papers.
In 1964 he authored a book “Gihiya” (Layman) on the dignity, vocation and apostolate of the Lay Catholic. In 1961 he wrote another book titled “Kithunu Peraliya” (Changes in the Catholic Church) describing how the 16 Doctrines of 2nd Vatican Council affected the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka.
Fr. Poruthota in Alakamandawa
Produced by well known TV producer Veenitha Karunaratne, one of the award winning television programmes ‘Alakamandawa’ will showcase the story of Fr. Poruthota under the title ‘Asammatha Vandhanawaka Theertha Yaathrikaya’ (A Traveller on an Unconventional Pilgrimage) and it will be telecast at 10.20 pm on July 26 on Rupavahini channel.
Scripted by Sunil Mihindukula, edited by Ranjith Walisundara and narrated by Chryshantha Dayananda, the programme is to focus on the life of Fr. Poruthota with special attention on his contribution to cinema and cinema literature while being a priest. |
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