Arts

"None of us knew Rekava would be a financial disaster"

recounts Dr. Lester James Peries

It was a dreary dismal morning. A thin drizzle was falling outside the Regal Theatre. There we were, three young men, Willie Blake, Titus Thotawatta and I sitting downstairs in the darkened theatre wondering what our fate was going to be.

We were running six reels of the rough cutting copy of our first film "Rekava" for Sir Chittampalam A. Gardiner. He was up in the Box, his charming wife beside him as the scenes began to unfold before the critical scrutiny of one of the shrewdest impressarios in our movie world. We had, we knew, broken every canon of commercial film-making. There were no stars, only amateur actors.

There were no star-struck lovers pursuing each other through herbaceous borders. It was a simple story of two children. The sound track crackled with the sounds of authentic village life, rough, earthy, without the Studio slickness the commercial movies could boast of; and we had only half the film ready for screening.

Naturally we were apprehensive. But we needed the money desperately to complete the film. The six reels over, we were summoned upstairs. With a little prodding I am pretty sure from Lady Gardiner, there he was, the movie - mogul, beaming, not unreservedly but with a kind of sympathetic approval.

"Come over to the office" he said; and in a matter of minutes we had a cheque drawn in favour of Chitra-Lanka Ltd. for Rs. 125,000/=.

This was 21 years ago, and it was my first contact with Ceylon Theatres whose 50 years in show-business is being celebrated this year. Having given us the cheque which helped us complete the film, Sir Gardiner thereupon proceeded to make what was almost a papal pronouncement "I have just seen the finest Sinhalese film ever made." Our hearts fluttered for a moment. Could it be ... was it possible he was alluding to Rekava? "Do you know that 'Sadasulang' will be an all time great... just seen it in Madras", said Sir Chittampalam Gardiner.

My story underscores a point. He has his own ideas of what commercial films should be but he was prepared to back the unconventional. None of us knew that "Rekava" would open up a whole new chapter in local film making, nor that it would be a financial disaster.

We were however able to pay back Ceylon Theatres, but without that Rs. 125,000/= cheque we would certainly have faced immense problems of funding the completion of the film. By a strange ironic coincidence both Rekava and Sadasulang were revived this year and I daresay Sadasulang did better business at the Box-Office.

One is expected on occasions such as this to be eulogistic to sing a hymn of praise to an organisation celebrating what is indeed a unique record of achievement in local show-business. I would of course be hypocritical if I indulged in the kind of flattery which is used on such occasions.

Instead I wish to state quite unequivocally that I differed radically on many issues with the Big Private Sector Film Organisations. Ceylon Theatres included. It would be stupid and asinine to think that films must not entertain, must not appeal to mass audiences.

Where we differed is that the National Cinema must find a place too for the serious film, that in terms of social responsibility it has occasionally to elevate audience taste, to enrich much experience of life as it is lived and not used merely as a factory producing an endless series of fantasies and opium dreams.

For this is the problem with the Cinema which all Governments face - its impact is so powerful, its ability to sway emotions, to re-shape ideas, implant dogma, change habits of speech, dress, behaviour, create myths out of card-board heroes etc. Even the commercial cinema does it - you can take a common thief and give him the halo either of a Saint or a Superman.

Ten years passed. Sir Gardiner, alas was no more; and much to my surprise the present Board invited me to make three films for Ceylon Studios - the financing of course being provided by Ceylon Theatres Ltd.

The 3 films I made "Golu Hadawatha", "Akkara Paha" and "Nidhanaya" for Ceylon Studios are among the happiest memories of my film-making life. I would be less than honest if I did not state this and I mean it with all the sincerity of one who hasn't changed his views on any of the other issues on which we frequently clashed.

The making of these 3 films I would say provided me as Director that degree of freedom which is the ideal condition for the production of serious movies. Once the project was approved, there was no interference whatsoever, in fact the sponsors saw the final product after I had completed the picture - a privilege enjoyed by very few film-makers in any part of the world. Both "Golu Hadawatha" and "Nidhanaya" went on to win International awards.

In conclusion I would like to add that I feel a certain justifiable pride in having contributed something to the complex series of endeavours and achievements in which Ceylon Theatres has a unique history.

For me the chance of making three films in a career which certainly has not been prolific in terms of the number of films made, in not imposing any commercial restraints, in leaving me alone - for this I shall always be grateful and as a parting shot may I say I haven't made 3 films in a row for any other Company.

Courtesy: Lester James Peries Collected Works: by Piyasena Wickramage

Bhadraji Foundation: 2000

Promoting Sri Lankan folk art

by Ranga Chandrarathne

The annual event of Artlink, is a project sponsored jointly by the British Council, Alliance Francaise, Goethe Institute, and the Vibhavi Academy of Fine Arts. Artlink is aimed at attracting young innovative amateur artists and designers to widen their mental spectrum and to cross boundaries, and provides an opportunity for a selected number of local participants to share and exchange their experience and knowledge with British, French and German Artistes.

This provides an ample opportunity for our artistes to experience and expertise creativity in developing puppetry in Sri Lanka, through a workshop process.

The workshop is held at the Piliyandala puppet Art Centre from 6 th to January 16th 2007. At the conclusion of the workshop on the 16th January, a puppet show will be staged at the Piliyandala puppet Art Centre at 6.00 p.m. and is open to the public.

Three European Artists Ewan Hunter (U.K), Alice Therese Bohn (Germany) and Clement Peretjako (France) are the workshop leaders.