‘Beyond Arms’ goes to Rotterdam
View(s):- Sri Lankan-Malaysian movie coproduction
By Susitha R. Fernando
The Sri Lankan–Malaysian co-production ‘Beyond Arms’ (‘Avi Athara’) was screened at this year’s International Film Festival of Rotterdam (IFFR) in the Netherlands, held from January 29 to February 8.
Written and directed by Rob Nevis, a Sri Lankan-born filmmaker based in Malaysia and produced by veteran Sri Lankan filmmaker Chandran Rutnam, the film reached the public screen after an extraordinary 27-year journey from conception to festival exhibition.
Dilhani and Rob Nevis
At the 55th edition of IFFR, Beyond Arms was selected for the festival’s ‘Cinema Regained’ section, an evocative programme dedicated to collective remembrance and cinematic imagination, featuring restored classics, documentaries on film culture and explorations of cinema’s heritage.
Reflecting on the film’s long and remarkable journey, producer Chandran Rutnam described ‘Beyond Arms’ as a deeply personal and significant work.
‘This is an amazing film for many reasons. The journey of making the film is a movie in itself’ Rutnam said.
Chandran Rutnam
He noted that the project was entirely driven by the vision of its young director at the time. ‘It was solely Rob’s idea and creation. He worked with me on foreign productions us line-produced, as well as on films I directed. I assisted him with the essentials needed to make the film happen’ Rutnam explained.
Speaking about the film’s selection for IFFR 2025, Rutnam said he was proud to be part of its journey. ‘I am proud to be part of this amazing journey of filmmaking. I was absolutely thrilled when I heard that the film had been selected by the Rotterdam Film Festival’.
‘Beyond Arms’ features a distinguished and star-studded cast led by Gamini Fonseka and Malini Fonseka, alongside Dilhani Ekanayake, Sesha Palliyakara, Ranjith Wickremasinghe and Ravindra Randeniya, with director Rob Nevis himself appearing in a leading role.
The film is scheduled for its theatrical release in December this year, marking the long-awaited public unveiling of a work whose journey spans nearly three decades.
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