A FILM INSTITUTE: ESSENTIAL NEED !!!

Sri Lanka needs a Film Institute
K S Sivakumaran

Having seen many Indian features and non-feature films in many Indian languages over the years, (apart from the Bollywood films produced in Mumbai) extravaganzas, which in recent times had also produced a few quality films), I am convinced that the quality of some regional films (which Lankans are not familiar with) is the result of vibrant film society movements, particularly in Kerala and Kolkatta and most importantly due to film educated graduates that pass out from film institutes in a few major cities in India.


Balu Mahendra

The major film institute is the FTII Pune (Film and Television Institute of India).

It is in existence for almost half a century. We need such an Institute in the model of the Indian one. We have a Television Training Institute mainly handling courses in technical aspects of television productions.

While the Lankan Sinhala cinema has come of age Lankan Thamil Cinema is yet to be born in the contemporary sense.

There are many talented people in the Thamil-speaking provinces that do not gain state patronage to learn the art of cinema in their own language.

When sanity prevails and peace and normalcy returns when all Lankans are treated with respect and as one people while giving their individual cultural rights that include language, a grand film institute could be established with various departments where courses are conducted in Sinhala, Thamil and English.

This is a grandiloquent vision, but it could be made a reality with foreign funding and professional assistance.

We have internationally known film directors, technicians, writers, script writers and dramatists among the Sinhala community. Their lectures and instructions can be translated into Thamil by professional translators who have knowledge of the art of cinema.

Lanka born Thamilian filmmakers are doing well in India and other countries. They could be invited to conduct courses.

Balu Mahendra (a product of the Pune Film Institute) is such a person as a cinematographer and filmmaker.

We must have a separate and independent sub ministry to cover aesthetics (film, theatre, music, dance, painting and the like for each language.) This should be separate from Ministry of Culture which could include Religious Affairs, Heritage, Archaeology, Folk Arts etc.

The Public Performances Board can come under Ministry of Information or Ministry of Defence or Ministry of National (Sinhala) Culture.

There should be separate Departments to cover Thamil, Muslim and English Cultural Activities under a Ministry of Cultural Integration. Several courses at post - graduate level could be started. - Diploma in Film Direction, Cinematography, Audiography and Film Editing, Diploma Course in Acting, Art Direction and Production Design, Post-Graduate Certificate Course in Feature Film Screenplay Writing, Certificate course in Animation and Computer Graphics etc.

All this is fine on paper, but if the ultra nationalists think otherwise, then nothing could be done and we will go back to a primitive stage of racism.

sivakumaranks@yahoo.com