- Sanjeewa Pushpakumara’s movie about child trafficking receives recognition at Tokyo International Film Festival
By Shailendree Wickrama Adittiya
Sanjeewa Pushpakumara’s Vihanga Premaya or Peacock Lament won the award for “Best Artistic Contribution” at the Tokyo International Film Festival held from 24 October to 2 November.
Accepting the award, Pushpakumara thanked the Japanese Government and the Japanese people for their tremendous support to Sri Lanka during these difficult times.
“I want to thank my producers Amil Abeysundara and Suranga Handapangoda, and invite them to the stage. I also want to thank my wonderful co-producers and sales agent in Italy. And I want to thank my wonderful cast and all the crew for their undying support and for taking the risk of making this film during the Covid-19 pandemic,” Pushpakumara said, while also thanking his family, making a special mention of his late sister, whose life the film is based on.
He also took the time to remember his fellow countrymen and dedicated his film to them. “I want to dedicate this film to all Sri Lankans. We have free education, and I’m a product of free education. We all learn because of their tax money. Therefore, I want to dedicate this to all Sri Lankans, especially during these hard times.”
“I’m so glad to have won this award from one of the most prestigious festivals in the world. It’s a great honour. No Sri Lankan film has ever won such a prestigious award. I was very happy to work with such a wonderful cast and crew, so I’m just elated,” Pushpakumara said during a press briefing held on 2 November.
The Tokyo International Film Festival
During a press briefing, jury president Julie Taymor said: “I think we’re all very proud of the films that we chose as well as the other award winners. They were an incredible array of stories from cultures that were so different. It was such an incredible experience to see these stories because they weren’t tales out of Hollywood.”
“I want to extend our thanks to the programmers because we got to share the distress of people from around the world. For us and for the viewers, it was amazing just for the diversity of the storytelling. We can’t let that die. We must listen to tales from around the world or we’ll never comprehend our differences,” Taymor added.
Notable winners at the film festival
In addition to Pushpakumara’s win that night, the Tokyo International Film Festival recognised many other cinematic works as well. Psychological thriller The Beasts clinched three awards, including the Tokyo Grand Prix. Rodrigo Sorogoyen from Spain won best director and Denis Menochet won best actor for the movie.
World War III, a satirical drama by Iranian filmmaker Houman Seyedi, was awarded the Special Jury Prize, while the award for best actress went to Aline Küppenheim for her role in 1976, a movie by Manuela Martelli.
Meanwhile, Rikiya Imaizumi won the audience award for By The Window, a movie about a man confronted by his wife’s affair. This was one of three Japanese films to be selected for the international competition.
“I am grateful to everyone who made the film with me, but I suffered a lot while making it. I don’t like being on location; I’m in pain whenever I make a film. But when I know that the film reached the audience and (they) responded to it, that makes it almost worthwhile. I know it’s a Japanese film and I had an edge since we’re in Japan, but I’m still very happy about it,” Imaizumi said.
The festival also had an Asian Future competition, where the best film award went to Butterflies Live Only One Day, directed by Iranian filmmaker Mohammadreza Vatandoust. When asked about the film’s unusual structure, in which it only gradually becomes clear what is going on, Vatandoust said: “If I used just one line, it would stop right there,” adding: “I thought we needed some suspense to create cinematic charm. That’s why I decided to mete out the information gradually.”
“Since I was nine years old, I’ve been on the stage and in films, and I’ve won 82 awards. I tell my students in film school that winning a prize is like a gift and you become happy. But the next day, your life goes on. It’s very meaningful that I’ve received this award from Japan, a country of fantasy for us. When it comes to literature, poetry, and paintings, I think Iran and Japan are very similar. My friends often tell me that I should make more commercial films, but after this award, I feel that my way is right.”
Synopsis
Vihanga Premaya or Peacock Lament is a 2022 autobiographical film by Sanjeewa Pushpakumara and follows 19-year-old Amila (played by Akalanka Prabashwara), who was born in a small village in Eastern Sri Lanka. After losing his parents, Amila moves to Colombo and is left with the responsibility of taking care of his four siblings. He manages to find a construction worker at a Chinese building site.
When Amila’s sister requires urgent surgery for a congenital heart defect, Amila becomes desperate for money. One day, he meets Malini (played by Sabeetha Perera), a 55-year-old woman who decides to help him by having him work in her child trafficking business.
The movie is about the young man, his bond to his family, his desperate desire for love and acceptance, his country’s contemporary socio-economic realities, and the strong impact derived from the recent close ties with China.
Cast: Akalanka Prabhashwara, Sabeetha Perera, Mahendra Perera, Dinara Punchihewa, Lorenzo Acquaviva, Lahiru Prasath, and Amiththa Weerasingha
Screenplay: Sanjeewa Pushpakumara
Cinematography: Sisikirana Paranavithana