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| Saturday, 3 January 2004 |
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Compiled by Bharatha Malawaraarachchi Prasanna Vithanage film festival in Netherlands : Dutch plaudits for Ira Madiyama
Ira Madiyama will be screened at the 33rd International film festival in Rotterdam which will commence on January 21. Besides, a festival exclusively featuring only Prasanna's films will be held at the Royal Tropical Institute, Amsterdam on January 15, 16 and February 4. "It will screen three of my films namely Purahanda Kaluwara (Death on a Full Moon Day), Pawuru Walalu (The Walls Within) and Ira Madiyama," Prasanna says. He believes that this is yet another good opportunity to take Sri Lankan films to the international platform. Also, Prasanna is scheduled to deliver a lecture on "Films in Sri Lanka and fighting censorship " at a symposium on " Claiming artistic Freedom " at the literature festival Winternachten in The Hague, from January 16 to 18. Eight artistes from Asia, Africa and Latin America are sheduled to participate at this discussion. Prasanna's lecture follows the screening of Purahanda Kaluwara.
Nowadays, Prasanna is working very hard on drawing international recognition and creating a market for Sri Lankan films. He has already achieved success by selling an Italian subtitled copy of his latest film " Ira Madiyama " to the Film Society of Switzerland and the video rights to TSI, an Italian television network covering Italy and Switzerland. "It is a satisfactory achievement for us," says Prasanna stressing that more emphasis should be laid on opening new avenues and markets for local films. "We must strive to explore new markets to ensure the sustainability of the Sri Lankan film industry," Prasanna added." At the same time, we must make good films to meet international standards." Revolving around three narratives, Prasanna's Ira Madiyama focuses on different experiences of three groups of people due to circumstances beyond their control during two scorching days in August. Even though the experiences they encounter may not be directly related to the conflict, they are ordinary people thrown into the heat of war. Prasanna says the film is about the people's quest for life and about people who are struggling to hold on to their hopes and dreams while being swept away by the torrents of war. ######## Lankan singer shines Down Under Senani Wijesena, a singer and songwriter who is residing in Australia has just released her latest album titled "Everything I do".
The album contains five new songs - I am gone, I don't know what to do, everything I do, Baby Boy and Take me to a higher love. She has been performing around Sydney for the last two years and is originally from Newcastle. She has been penning songs from the age of 15 and writes all her current material. She has won several music competitions in Newcastle for singing and dancing accomplishments. She has also appeared on national TV - Newcastle NBN Telethon and Music Variety show in Asia. At the moment, she is recording her next R&B album "Love Not War" which is scheduled to be released in Australia in February. Senani will be travelling to Europe this year to further promote her music. You can contact Senani through her website www.senani.com for further information. ######### Bollywood love triangle at Liberty 'Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon' (I will love him till the end of time), a new kind of Bollywood love story featuring three popular stars Hrithik Roshan, Kareena Kapoor and Abishek Bachchan is now screening at Liberty Cinema.
What will happen? will Sanjana sacrifice her love and marry a rich businessman or else? The film is directed by Sooraj R. Barjatya while music is by Anu Malik.
######## Sing along with new Sinhala Karaoke videos
Torana Music proprietor Sarath Kotelawale says this new karaoke VCD/DVD will appeal to music lovers in the country." Like in the past, Torana has come out with a quality product that appeals to the connoisseur and this is a further step in the interest of the music loving public." Among the songs included in this Karaoke VCD/DVD are; Malbara Himidiriye, Muhudu Rella Osse, Mali Ruwan Mali, Mee Amba Vanaye, Tharuna Jeewithe, Udarata Kandukaraye, Gayana Gayum, Cock-a-Doodle, Suraliyaka Wage etc. Torana Music has made arrangements to introduce a new Sinhala Karaoke VCD/DVD every month. |
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Produced by Lake House |
Acclaimed film director Prasanna Vithanage will be in the limelight in
the international film arena once again with his latest film " Ira
Madiyama (August Sun) featuring in several international film festivals
Europe later this month.
The album which was released in Australia has received extensive
airplay and reviews. The album is a mix of Rhythm and Blues (R&B)
songs with an ethnic edge. She wrote all the songs.
The film is woven around three youth - Sanjana who just finished school
and the two "Prems" who come into her life. Sanjana's sister
settled in US arranges her to meet and marry a rich businessman named
Prem. He is arriving from USA. But, the Prem who comes to India is a
different person with the same name "Prem" who is working at a
company of his classmate "Prem" rich.
Sanjana falls in love with him and yet her parents want her to marry
"Prem" rich.
Pursuing a novel initiative in presenting quality music products to
music lovers, Torana Music, the well-known local music label has presented
a Karaoke VCD/DVD comprising Sri Lankan calypso nonstop songs. This latest
karaoke VCD/DVD which is the volume three of a Sinhala karaoke series
presented by Torana includes 30 popular Sri Lankan calypso songs with
attractive visuals.
