Derana Film Awards 2016:

Glowing accolades for Ho Gaana Pokuna

by Husna Inayathullah

Indika Ferdinando’s debut film Ho Gaana Pokuna (The Singing Pond) won both Best Film and the Most Popular Film awards at the Derana Film Awards 2016 held at the Nelum Pokuna, Colombo recently. In addition, the film also won the Best Music Direction Award for musical score composed by Dinesh Subasinghe. Jayalath Manoratne won the Best Actor in a Supportive Role for the film.

Ho Gaana Pokuna is one of the best Sri Lankan children's musical movies directed by Indika Ferdinando. It received the Teacher's Choice Prize at the 31st Chicago International Children's Film Festival, the Best Feature Film at the 38th Lucas International Children's Festival and the City of Zlin Award at the 55th Zlín Film Festival. The film had its world premiere at the Shanghai International Film Festival and was designated as the official selection at the Hanoi International Film Festival. It was also nominated for Michel Award in Film Fest Hamburg, Germany 2016.

A new teacher, Uma (Anasuya Subasinghe), arrives at a school for her first appointment in a remote village near Dambulla in Sri Lanka. The school has few students, with only the principal (Lucien Bulathsinhala) and Uma as the teacher. With the help of Uma the pupils gradually start to dream of bigger things than they ever imagined.

One day Upuli, a blind girl, shares her unseen dream with school friends, Sukiri and Ukkun. It gradually becomes the dream throughout the village. The children and Uma encounter perils in their venture to realise this dream. The children of the school start to focus on something they have never seen before. This target gives rise to a small revolution.

The film's score and songs were composed and conducted by Dinesh Subasinghe. Vocals for the theme song, Rata Pena Kiri Haawa, were provided by Thrishala Wijethunga with background vocals by Dewmini Fernando, Dinith Ridhmika, Banuka Senivirathna and Nizami Naizara. The movie was produced by Kusumsiri Liyanarachi, Yashodara Sarachchandra, Dayananda Liyanarachi, Shyama Athukorala, Bimal Fernando, Nirosha Fernando and Geetha Muthumala. Principal photography was undertaken by Channa Deshapriya and editing was by Tissa Surendra.

The main roles were portrayed by Lucien Bulathsinhala, Jayalath Manoratne, Anasuya Subasinghe, Dayadewa Edirisinghe, Jayani Senanayake, Hyacinth Wijeratne, Senate Dikkumbura, Geetha Kanthi Jayakody, Ama Wijesekera and Jagath Chamila. This film can be enjoyed by both children and adults.