Shameera’s dream debut

Wins Gold at SAARC Film Festival 2015 with ‘Motor Bicycle’, his maiden venture as a director:

In what could be described as a double bonanza, Sri Lank, host of this year’s spectacular SAARC Film Festival, walked away with the ultimate prize, the Gold, for Shameera Rangana Naotunna’s ‘Motor Bicycle’, a heart wrenching story about a young man’s desires and harsh societal realities.

The Festival, held for the fourth consecutive year in Colombo, was organised by the SAARC Cultural Centre, with the intention of promoting culture in the region through films, one of the most powerful art form in today’s world.

‘Motor Bicycle’ beat out 18 feature and short films from the SAARC member countries, to win the coveted Gold. Bangladesh’s submission ‘Mrittika Maya’ Directed by Gazi Rakayet, won the Silver, while the Bronze medal was won by Maldivian Ali Seasan, for his film ‘Isaanaa’.

The movie is Naotunna’s maiden venture as a Director and tells the story of a young musician from the working classes who dreams big, buys a second hand motor bike and abysmally falls short of his dreams, ending up as an embittered underworld figure, who has lost everything he values in life.

“The message I am trying to convey through my film ‘Motor Bicycle’ is that a suitable environment or society should be created for the youngsters to achieve their dreams and goals,” says Naotunna, who believes no youngsters life should be rendered worthless.

The dynamics of the movie is evocatively captured in the mother-son relationship, which has the main character, identified as Rangana guilting his mother into handing over her necklace to be pawned, after her initial refusal, by asking whether she wants him to embrace the life of a thug. It is also there in the main character’s feeling for the girl way out of his league.

Naotunna claims his personal experience of love scorned had helped him in writing the scripted. “I was in love with a girl for five years. I loved her deeply, but she did not respect my love. My true love was a failure,” he says candidly, elaborating, that unlike in the move he made the failure a stepping stone in his life to move ahead.

Life’s lessons

“If we fail in something in life or if we are unable to achieve something in life, we should never be discouraged. Instead we should act positively. I have bought out this theme in my story through the barriers I have faced in achieving things in life,” he explains.

Born and bred in the suburbs of Colombo, Naotunna at age 29 is the youngest Sri Lankan film director to win the Gold. He is overjoyed with the recognition the movie received and says it is a motivation for him to do more films in the future.

“When I submitted my film to the National Film Corporation, it was in digital and of poor quality. I was worried about the quality but I did not have any options so I submitted it for the competition,” he says, happy to wake to the realization that many people looked at the story and the content rather than the quality. “They were happy and they enjoyed it and I’m happy about it. My aim in life is to do many more films in the future. I want to become a great Film Director one day,” he says enthusiastically.

Naotunna, the eldest in a family of three, shares many of the traits with the protagonist of his movie, in that his father died when he was a small and it was his mother had bought up the family.

A student at Veluwana College, Dematagoda, he chose Commerce for his Advance Level Examinations, but says he was much into aesthetics since he was a kind and loved music, drama and acting. He is very much thankful to his uncle, Sisira Sarath Kumara who supported him a lot from his younger days.

Child Star

Naotunna stepped into the performing arts scene as a child star in teledramas, stage plays and films. But not satisfied with merely playing a role directed by others, he worked on his own plays, and tasted success when his first stage play, ‘Allow me to realize My Dream’ was presented at the Youth and State Drama Festival of 2007 and received high recognition. Subsequently, he played the role of assistant to many accomplished Directors turning out many highly acclaimed tele-creations.

Naotunna directed his first short film, ‘Six Miles’ in 2010. It received special commendation from the jury at the Agenda and State Film Corporation Short Film Festivals. Thereafter, at the Rupavahini State Festival it went on to receive the Golden Award for the best short film of the year.

In 2011, ‘Six Miles’ was entered in the competitive section of many international film festivals including the 6th International Independent Short Film Festival in Slovenia, the 6th Cine Fantasy Short Film Festival in Brazil, 24 Hours Nuremberg Festival in Germany, and the 10th Third Eye Festival held in India.

This year marks the 68th anniversary of the Sri Lankan film industry and Shameera Rangana Naotunna’s SAARC Gold is the 189th International Award to be won by a Sri Lankan.

Reported by Husna Inayathullah