Sunday, October 19, 2008

Sri Lankan movies

This is in response to our discussion on what Sri Lankan cinema would be like; I found a few examples on youtube, and even a whole film

http://hk.youtube.com/watch?v=bucWzcPy3To&feature=related
And the background to this movie; http://sundaytimes.lk/070729/TV/tv_2.html

And another;
http://hk.youtube.com/watch?v=fwcJFRcGiW8

3 comments:

Lisa said...

Thanks Mark for the info. would you also help us identify some basic concerns that you think Sri Lankan directors have been trying to address? Do you think they have been mindful of the identity question (as different from Indian or Pakistan cinema), or trying to build up their own brand? Any notion to internationalize Sri Lankan movies?

Lisa said...

Also, I am still looking forward to your sharing of the Chung King visit... :)

Mark said...

I guess they try to address concerns relating to the war, sometimes the message is cultural and pertaining to some histrorical myth or the other. One of the films that I posted up is in relation to a socialist marxist group that tried to forcibly seize power in the 80s.
Good question on the identity, there is certainly less singing and dancing, and more empahsis on distinguishing us apart,culturally, from our neighbors. I do believe there are a lot of comedies, and some soap-opera styled dramas.
Some Sri Lankan movies have made it to Indie film festivals in Europe and Asia, but these never get shown in Sri Lanka