In Kannan Arunasalam’s ‘I Am’ series every one of the narrators is given a title, a designation if you will. Retired school principal S. Thoradeniya is dubbed ‘The Reader,’ Bala Tampoe is ‘The Union Leader,’ Helga de Silva is ‘The Warrior Queen,’ The Venerable Walatara Sobhita Nayaka Thera is ‘The Chief Monk.’ If one were … Continue reading
Category Archives: Filmmakers
Minnie Vaid: A Doctor to Defend
In the years since his arrest, Dr. Binayak Sen has won himself thousands of supporters, including the likes of Amartya Sen and Noam Chomsky. But perhaps the most determined among them has been a documentary film maker and journalist, Minnie Vaid. Minnie, who first heard of Dr. Binayak’s case in 2007, subsequently quit her job … Continue reading
Suranga Ranawaka: Road from Elephant Pass
Trailing a shimmering shawl and dressed to kill, Suranga Ranawaka is a picture of glamour, something that is only emphasised by her surroundings – a newspaper office in the middle of a working week. In fact, you might be hard pressed to identify the perfectly turned out young woman as the same one who stood … Continue reading
Sumitra Peries: A Splice of Life
Over the course of a long career in cinema, Sumitra Peries estimates she may have edited anywhere between 10 to 15 movies. These include films such as the groundbreaking ‘Gamperaliya’ (1964) which was directed by her husband, the iconic filmmaker Lester James Peries and ‘Gehenu Lamai’ (1978), the film that marked her own directorial debut. On ‘Gehenu … Continue reading
Nimmi Harasagama and Heshani Sothiraj: The Auntie Netta Chat Show
Auntie Netta is trying to break free…and Nimmi Harasagama is going to let her. It is not a gradual transformation – her refined conversation slips into a screech, her chuckles take on a sinister edge as she begins to cackle and her gesticulations are so abrupt and enthusiastic you worry she will knock something over. … Continue reading
Sharni Jayawardena and Tarika Wickremeratne, Kannan Arunasalam, Menika van der Poorten: Films about Post-Conflict Sri Lanka
At www.movingimages.asia, Sharni Jayawardena and Tarika Wickremeratne take a walk about Slave Island, Kannan Arunasalam films ‘portraits of resilience’ in Jaffna and Menika van der Poorten searches out what’s left of the planter Eurasian community. Employing photography and film, the series is modelled on one that ran in the New York Times – the Emmy award … Continue reading
Aaron Burton: A Journey of Inheritance
In 1976, a young anthropologist named Sharon Bell travelled to Sri Lanka to begin work on her thesis. She learnt Sinhala in three months and settled down in the village of Kanewala for two years. She became friends with local families there and in Pelpitigoda and Duwa as well, following the fishermen from the latter … Continue reading
Paul Schrader: On writing Taxi Driver and Raging Bull
I meet a very tired Paul Schrader on a rainy morning in the Galle Face Hotel. As the wind coming of the ocean bends the coconut trees, and slams rain drops against the closed windows, Paul talks about what inspired him to write the iconic film Taxi Driver, why he chose to rewrite Raging Bull … Continue reading
Uberto Pasolini and Ruwanthie de Chickera: On Making Machan
Machan Four years down the line, the disappearance of Sri Lanka’s one and only National Handball Team (SLNHT) in Bavaria has become the stuff of legend. Amazingly, those 23 men had no training and knew virtually nothing about handball. Despite this, they were audacious enough to postpone their escape and actually take part in three … Continue reading
Richard Boyle: Finding Sinbad in Serendib
Richard Boyle and I sit, staring deep into the eyes of a golden cobra. Balancing high, her hood flared to display the markings on her head, she is made of gleaming bronze; each scale is perfectly delineated, each coil of her body graceful and fluid. She belonged to his grandfather, Richard explains, making no effort … Continue reading
Smriti Daniel 