PURAHANDHA KALUWARA

A young army soldier is killed as a result of a bomb explosion in the ongoing war between the Sri Lankan government and the L.T.T.E. The remains are placed in a sealed coffin and delivered to the soldier's distraught father and sisters in their rural village. Upon completion of the funeral proceedings the father (who happens to be blind) is notified by the local village official (Gramma Niladari) that he is entitled a monetary compensation by the government. But the grieving father refuses to complete the required paperwork. He believes that his son is still alive and will return shortly, which makes accepting the money unethical. His indifferent attitude is cause for concern by the two daughters, each in need for money. But the shocking reason to his behavior is revealed at the end.

PURAHANDHA KALUWARA (Death on a Full Moon Day) is written and directed by Presanna Vithanage and features the acting prowess of Joe Abeywickrama (as the blind old man), Linton Semage (as the old man's intended son-in-law), and Mahendra Perera (as the local village official).

Although the main plot is gripping and makes us wonder why the old father is behaving his way, regrettably it is the only question posed in the film. The lack of sufficient plot points made the story progression drawn out and tedious. The film stretches the blind (no pun intended) hope of the old man as he clutches to the delusion of his son's existence and impending arrival. The screenplay compliments the story with succinct and authentic village dialogue. But additional scenes would only have improved the end product. Flashback scenes showing how essential and irreplaceable the son/brother was would have helped to visualize the great loss felt by the family. This missing link to the son/brother was clearly apparent. Displaying the father's thoughts and fears would have also enhanced the development of the story.

The cinematography is exceptional. The quality and talent of the director of photography M. D. Mahindapala is unmistakable by his use of long shots and deep focus. The background and foreground are seamlessly captured, to present the scenic beauty of the quant village isolated from civilization.

It is truly a pleasure to watch master thespians at work. Joe Abeywickrama, Linton Semage and Mahendra Perera are flawless in their performances. Good actors make you feel like you're watching a documentary as opposed to a narrative film.

Presanna Vithanage's technical direction is outstanding, but his method of storytelling is debatable. The film's running time is a mere sixty eight (68) minutes, which proves that the addition of sub plots or parallel storylines would have augmented the pace and duration of the film. The simple lack of conflicts made it slow going. The director could have explored the troubles faced by the two sister and their significant others. More emphasis could have been placed on how crucial the money is for the lives of the family members. And surprisingly the controversial ending was not utilized to its optimal dramatic affect. But regardless of these shortcomings, I definitely recommend this film because it's a work of a capable filmmaker.

Rating: 3/5

S. V. Fernando