Lankan cinema: virile at 67

By Kalakeerthi Edwin Ariyadasa

“It is a challenge that accompanies each new technological development, each change in the basic tools of film production. But it is a challenge that the directors have met resourcefully in the past – and will meet again, inevitably, in the long years that lie ahead. For, the capacity to change, to grow is the very essence of every living art – especially of the movies, the liveliest of the arts.”

-Arthur Knight
(1916-1991)
US film critic

Sri Lankan cinema arrives in the new-year 2014, at the ripe old age of 67, not as a doddering ancient, ambling wearily along, but like ‘a buck in spring spiritedly treading the ling.’

And, this is with reason.

Just a couple of days before Sinhala cinema celebrated its 67th birthday, a transcendental film-epic from Sri Lanka, won a series of prestigious awards at a renowned international film festival.

Award-winning film

The award-winning Sri Lankan film-gem, is Shri Siddhartha Gautama. The event is Delhi International Film Festival.

The film was adjudged the best international cinematic creation, out of some 160 films from 34 countries.

Over and above the award for the Best International Film at the festival, the work received a special tribute award, for the message of peace and harmony to all mankind, that the film projected to the world.

One cannot imagine a better and more salutary way, we would have marked Sri Lankan cinema’s 67th year. The award shines with yet another subtle nuance.

The theme of the film is the pre-Enlightenment-life of ascetic Siddhartha – the greatest son of India.

Enlightenment

Ascetic Siddhartha attained Supreme Enlightenment, after an excruciating six-year ordeal of intense self-motification.

The totally dedicated producer of the film, Naveen Gunaratne, suffered untold privations for about six years, in his unswerving commitment to realise his creative dream of producing a film epic on the life of ascetic Siddhartha.

Sacred heritage

It is not at all my intention here, to dwell on the details of the award winning film epic Shri Siddhartha Gautama. But, it is quite essential to underline vividly, the positive implications of the success of this film for Sinhala cinema, on its 67th anniversary.

The award winner, establishes, beyond even a trace of doubt, that Sinhala cinema, can look optimistically forward towards a new golden era of glorious achievements.

A series of mega cinematic creations drawing lavishly upon our sacred hostage of Buddhism and the picturesque annals and the chronicles of our island citadel, have succeeded in bringing back fervent film enthusiasts to cinemas, registering record box-office levels.

Such saga-format works as Aba, Mahindagamanaya, Vijaya and Kuveni, Siri Perakum and of course Sri Siddhartha Gautama have nudged film-goers awake, with their quality products that prove highly effective even in their entertainment aspects.

This is an eternal fountain, that can never run dry – a veritable cornucopia of effective film-materials.

But, those who utilise this source, must be moved by a sacred commitment, not to produce mere mass-pleasers who will keep the cash-registers ticking.

In the years to come, Sinhala cinema will be a field of tough competition. Film-goers await with a keenly whetted appetite, to take in the mega cinema epics of the calibre of Sri Siddhartha Gautama.

This could attract some who are totally bereft of a sense of quality but are in for their promise of shekels.

Wealth

Sinhala films began in the first instance, produced by the urge to amass wealth. The intention was commercial rather than creative and altruistic. In the ’40s, the travelling theatrical groups thrived.

The live presence of a given actor or actress could happen at one place at one time. In such a context, they had only one option.

Multiply the simultaneous performances, by converting the stage play into its photographed (not quite cinematographed) version – and, you get a simultaneous islandwide audience for your ‘play.’ This was the birth of the Sri Lanka film.

Within a brief period, Sinhala film-goers discovered that the fare offered to them was neither Sinhala nor cinema.

The mass urge for some cinematic creations that could be considered truly indigenous, made them recognise the film discourses of director Lester James Peries, as touching them more intimately.

But, it took quite a long while for the masses to be weaned away, at least to some extent, from the formula film they were addicted to.

Indigenous films

But, eventually pioneering men and women of Sinhala cinema, directed the indigenous film-tastes towards what could be our own tradition.

In consequence, some outstanding Sinhala films came into being, especially in the 1960s. But the works kept on fluctuating in terms of quality.

Internal conflicts and the advent of television, spelt misery to Sinhala cinema.

But, as the 67th year dawns hope for a better Sinhala film age also keep on rising.

To fully exploit these new opportunities, those who are in the forefront of film matters, must earnestly play a role.

We could for instance, probe the film establishment of a “Film culture” - not of course as a mere cliché but as the real thing.

Prestigious and highly disciplined schools of film criticism, should be brought into being.

Tradition

Incidentally, almost immediately after the birth of Sinhala cinema, I was keen to have a tradition of learned and responsible film criticism. I must state here (this is no ego-tour, please) that I was the first individual to present a critical view of the young Sinhala cinema in 1950 in English (at International level that is). My essay had a youthful aggressiveness at that time and even a touch of cynicism, perhaps. This appeared in The Observer Annual Pictorial for 1950.

It was titled “The Sinhalese Film” “A wife and five puppets.” (The admirable journalist the late Denzil Pieris, who requested me to make this contribution, retained my cynical sub-title intact.)

What is relevant here is to be fully and totally aware, that all the ingredients for an epoch-making era for Sinhala cinema, are now in place.

While celebrating the 67th anniversary, we must make the fullest use of this unique opportunity history has – in its own whimsical way – presented to us.