SAMANALA SANDHAWANIYA (BUTTERFLY SYMPHONY)

A love letter accidentally dropped by a postman is picked up by a schoolboy (Vadeesha Wickramanayaka). He reads the letter which is intended for another and gradually begins to fall in love with the words and consequently the writer (Punya). Although young Vadeesha attempts to return the letter to Punya on numerous occasions, fate intervenes in the contrary. Vadeesha grows up into a talented yet tormented musician. Fame, fortune and women cannot fill a void that was created in his childhood. Vadeehsa must make one last visit to his hometown in order to let go of his past and to move forward in the present.

In the present day Sri Lankan Cinema Industry, the cheap-to-make, easily marketable, commercial film is king. This is why Jayantha Chandrasiri’s latest film stands out like an oasis in a desert. Although very much Sri Lankan, the story has a Euro-Cinema feel to it. A story of pure providence in which the young protagonist picks up a letter and sets the wheels in motion that will change his life for the better and for the worse. The story delicately focuses on how a minuscule item such as a letter can affect the life span of Vadeesha as he grows from a shy adolescent to a brazen adult. Punya’s words about love and life echo in the mind of the young schoolboy and fuel the artistic drive within him. Another reason why this particular love story is novel is because it centers on the innocent and unrequited love of a young boy towards an older woman. This is a well thought out story and this is evident in the film’s pacing. There is hardly a moment where the story drags or lacks attention. The screenplay is an appropriate combination of actually spoken dialogue and poetic verses through Punya’s letter and Vadeesha’s lyrics.

The collection of actors is a good example of the director getting the casting right. Yashoda Wimaladharma leads the ensemble as Punya. The veteran actress gives a subtle and nuanced performance. Pubudu Chathuranga displays his growth as an actor by playing the older brother of Vadeesha. Chathuranga is a very capable actor despite being in countless commercial films, which encourage good actors to act poorly. Uddika Premarathne has been working in the teledrama field for a few years but this might be his first or most prominent film role. He plays the older Vadeesha with the right amount of nonchalance and inner turmoil. Cameo appearances by notable faces strew the film; namely Damitha Abeyrathne, Roshan Pilapitiya and Chathurika Pieries

The technical aspects of this film are proof that the Sri Lankan film industry is able enough to produce quality cinematography, editing, sound and score. The cinematography is exceptional; it vibrantly captures the gloominess of the hill country as well as the glitz of the concert venues. The scene where young Vadeesha throws the letter off a bridge is especially noteworthy because the director consistently uses the shot to advance the story. The editing utilizes the catalog of shots to arrange the story seamlessly. Similarly to other films about musicians, this film’s music and score are separate entities and contributes to the overall story. The score is infused with a haunting melody like the ‘love that never was.’ The theme song is also the reoccurring thesis of the film; “I had a love that wasn’t mine, yet it was mine.”

This is writer/ director Jayantha Chandrasiri’s follow up to Guerilla Marketing (2005). Butterfly Symphony is his third film and could be considered his magnum opus. He has layered the film with intimate notions about love and life. It’s clear that Chandrasiri is a knowledgeable filmmaker by the way he has structured his film. The choice of subject matter is also refreshing when considering the surplus of Sri Lankan War/ Post-War films that were made in the recent past. But the two areas where Chandrasiri misses the right note is in the ending of the film and the movie trailer. Not to give anything away but the ending is drawn out. A couple of scenes prior to the actual ending would have been the ideal moment to fade-out but Chandrasiri decided otherwise. The ‘resolution’ in a story is basically the finale of the story because it provides closure for the characters. How much of closure a character needs is subjective; but in my opinion, in this instance, less is more. Taking a film and editing it into a trailer is an art form in and of itself. But the trailer for this film shows too many key scenes that reveal the main plot. The trailer doesn’t provide even a tentative idea as to what the film is about. This may prevent viewers from watching the film, but as a fan of Sri Lankan cinema, I advocate viewing it on the big screen. Regardless of the minor bumps this is a smooth and satisfying film.

Rating: 8/10

S. V. Fernando