Arts

Sumathi Tele Award festival a stunning success

The 12th Sumathi Tele-award Festival, a premier award festival for Tele-plays and advertisement was held on July 28, 2007.

The tele-plays and advertisements telecast over television from January 1, 2006 to December 31 were eligible for selection. The panel of judges for the ceremony made up of Admen Jayasuriya, Jayantha Rukmani Siriwardena, Rosy Senanayake, Pranith Abeysundara and Thilak Senasinghe.

The first section of the festival was devoted to appreciate Tele-plays while the rest was for advertisements telecast during the previous year.

Awards were handed over to the winners by Minister of Construction and Engineering Service Rajitha Senarathne and Editor Daily 'Lakmiba' Jatila Wellabada.

The Awards included

U.W Sumathipala Memorial Awards

* Music- Nanda Malani and Standely Perera

* The best TV documentary "Charitha" by Tharaka Wasalamudali.

* Best Music Programme - Winitha Karunaratne's "Alakamandawa"

* Best contemporary TV programme - "Thunsiya Hata" on Derana

* Best TV Announcer - Ranga de Silva of TNL

* Best Feature Programme - "Doramadalawa"-ITN-Hasantha Hettiarachchi

* "Dutu Nodutu" - Swarnawahini - Hema Nalin Karunarathne

The Best song for a Teledrama -

The Theme Song for "Duvili Suwanda" telecast over Rupavahini, Dr.Ajantha Ranasinghe.

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Merit Award-Triad Lanka- Advertisement for Bajaj three Wheelers

Merit Award- Leo Bernard Solution- Telecom.

Best Advertisement 3rd place- J.W.T-Union Motors

Best Advertisement 2nd place- Grants- Child Protection

Best Advertisement 1st place- Tri-Ads - "Api Wenuwen Api"

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Thimira soon on small screen

by Ranga Chandrarathne

The 'Thimira', a 30 episodes tele-play produced by Sriyani Jayasinghe was recently launched at 'Rendezvous Lounge'. Thimira is first Tele-play directed by Charith Kotalawala who had earlier directed several single-episode Tele-dramas including 'Le Neyo' and 'Balaporoththuwa'.

The cast for Thimira include Channa Perera, Aushadee Hewamadduma, Kumara Thirimanna, Clintus Mendis, Gayan Wickremasinghe, Niroshan Wijesinghe, Sumith Muddannayake, Dayan Witharana, Irangani Serasinghe, Rahal Bulathsinghala, Susila Kottege, Chandrasena Walimuni, and Saman Almedha.

Technical staff make up of Costume Design by Tharaka Adhikari, Co-Director Rangan Prasanna, Camera and Lighting by Nilantha Chularathne, Production Management by Senarath Bandara and screen-play for 'Thimira' was written by Sandya Kumudini Subhasinghe.

As Charith has chosen pleasing locations including those in Nuwara Eliya and Gampaha, the tele-play is poised to be a one with panoramic scenes and the tele-drama, to a certain extent, has exposed social evils and nexus between crimes and criminal gangs.

Charith has a long way to go in this field and therefore it is the duty of the critics to highlight the short-comings of the tele-drama in a constructive manner. So that the director be able to develop himself, making a lasting contribution to the field. Sri Lankan viewers can watch another master performance by Channa Perera and star-studded cast which will certainly add colour to 'Thimira'.

According to the director, the tele-drama will be different from most of the soap operas as it discusses social issues such as crimes, criminal gangsters and does not confine to triangular love story, running around Mulberry bushes in a romantic park.

Director has tried to change the conventional application of the medium which has, by and large, been used for cheap entertainment as a past time of middle class gossiping women whose world is confined to their living rooms.

Directors who aspire to change this culture of cheap entertainment should be encouraged for the betterment of the industry.

'Thimira' will certainly be a novel experience for tele-drama viewers who by now used to watch cheap foreign tele-dramas in Sinhala which plot are woven around eternal petty crisis in middle class extended families.

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'Evening Shadows' today

'Evening Shadows' a variety entertainment presented by the students of St. Nicholas' International College, Colombo will be held at the Bishop's College Auditorium, will be held today from 6.00 p.m. onwards.

The programme will feature 'Toy Shop' and 'Caribbean Melody' presented by the kids of the elementary section, 'Noah's Ark' by the students of the primary section, an Oriental Dance performed by the oriental dance troupe of the college, and a chorale by the college choir.

The highlight of the evening will be two short plays, namely, 'Doctor reduce fat fast', a comedy performed by the senior students and a contemporary version of 'Who'll bell the Cat' performed by the Junior students.

Emeritus Prof. Ashley Halpe, a prominent scholar in English education, a celebrated writer in Sri Lanka and former Dean of the Faculty of English at the University of Peradeniya, and Mrs. Halpe will grace the occasion as Chief Guests.

Tickets are available at the College office and will also be sold at the venue on the day of the programme from 5.30 p.m. onwards.