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They Dance Alone â 1997 (Link)
In the dead of the night when a troop of gunmen all alike in indignity breaks into the house of Richard De Zoysa, claims his life and drops his dead body off a helicopter they expected their brutality to sink in to the bottom of the sea.
For the country it was the losn the dead of the night when a troop of gunmen all alike in indignity breaks into the house of Richard De Zoysa, claims his life and drops his dead body off a helicopter they expected their brutality to sink in to the bottom of the sea.
For the country it was the loss of an activist and an artist but for Manorani, he was her only son.
âIf I had thought for one moment that they had come to take my son I would have died there at the door... Itâs the women who bear the brunt, and its the women who are the strong ones, because, when you lose a child you lose yourself " s of an activist and an artist but for Manorani, he was her only son.
âIf I had thought for one moment that they had come to take my son I would have died there at the door... Itâs the women who bear the brunt, and its the women who are the strong ones, because, when you lose a child you lose yourself "
Nilendra returns with âThey Dance Aloneâ (Link)
Following the success of his maiden feature film âThanha Rathi Rangaâ (Between Yesterday and Tomorrow) which has already had rave reviews internationally, Nilendra Deshapriya is getting ready with his next movie âThey Dance Aloneâ, a story woven around a tragic and true story that occurred during the dark period of late 1980s.
Nilendra who recently returned after attending the Shanghai International Film Festival 2014 preceding accolades and recognition at many other prestigious international film festivals around the world, will have the Muhurath for the second film next week. The storyline springs from the life and tragic destiny of abducted journalist, actor, television presenter and poet, Richard de Soysa who was later found dead and also his mother Manorani Saravanamuttu â who will be portrayed by veteran actress Swarna Mallawarachchi.
The feature film captures the deeply upsetting plight of Manorani who fights against the system for justice on behalf of her brutally assassinated son. âItâs the women who bear the brunt, and its the women who are the strong ones, because, when you lose a child you lose yourself.â (Manorani Saravanamuttu)
âThey Dance Aloneâ will be produced by Bandula Gunawardane with award winning movies to his credit such as âSuddilage Kathaawaâ, âSiri Maduraâ and âAyomaâ. Bandula Gunawardane will be making a come back to cinema after 19 years.
Interestingly Nilendra had also been the assistant director in âSiri Meduraâ and âAyomaâ directed by Parakrama Niriella while Swarna played the female lead in âSuddilage Kathawaâ (directed by Dharmasiri Bandaranayake) and âAyomaâ. Speaking about the film Nilendra said âThe Dance Alongâ will be a milestone in the careers of Minister Bandula Gunawardena, Swarna and his as the three of them would be meeting so many years after âAyomaâ.
Still fresh with the experience of Shanghai Film Festival where his film was shown, Nilendra said the festival which was a display of rich cinematic culture was a paradigm experience. âWhen you participated at the opening and the closing ceremonies of the festival you feel what an immense responsibility you have as a filmmaker,â Nilendra said
Police prohibits film on Richard de Zoysa Featured (Link)
13 March 2015
Citing a reporting by the IGP that it is inappropriate to recall an unpleasant past, the defence ministry has written to the director of the film to be made on the murder of journalist Richard de Zoysa, informing him that he cannot be given permission to shoot the film.
Nilendra Deshapriya, who will direct âThey Dance Aloneâ, has been told in the letter signed by Brig. A.S. Ariyasinghe, deputy of military relations that the IGP has warned of a possible unrest situation, jdslanka.org reports.
De Zoysa was abducted by military personnel in civilian clothing from his Welikadawatte, Rajagiriya home on 18 February 1990.
He had been tortured and killed, and the body found washed ashore at Koralawella beach in Moratuwa on the following day.
The film is to be based on the struggle launched by his mother, Dr. Manorani Saranavanamuttu, who founded Mothersâ Front to bring mothers of missing persons together.
The writing of the script began in 1996, but progress had been delayed due to numerous reasons.
Writing on 01 October 2014 to the then defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, the filmâs producer and government minister at the time Bandula Gunawardena sought permission for the shooting of the film.
In a response dated October 23, the ministry pointed to certain dialogues and other contents in the film are damaging of the pride and reputation of the Army and amount to a belittling of the war heroes.
An amended script was handed over on November 12, but the producers havenât had any response, which prompted them to write again, to the new defence secretary, on February 09.
On February 12, Deshapriya sent an email seeking a meeting with media minister Gayantha Karunatilake to discuss the matter, but that is yet to be responded to.
Asked about this, ministry secretary Karunaratne Paranavithana said he was ready to resolve this matter, but that he was yet to receive a hard copy of the defence ministry letter which bans the shooting of the film.
Deshapriya says he is determined to see the completion of this film, adding that attempts to ban its shooting will not be allowed.
Such a ban will also prevent the making of films on the murders of Lasantha Wickrematunga, Dharmaratnam Sivaram or the disappearance of Prageeth Ekneligoda, he said.
Fifteen years after de Zoysaâs killing, the accused were acquitted by the Colombo high court in 2005.