Sri Lankan Cinema

Short films are a broad genre of movies characterized by their shorter lengths when compared to feature films. Sri Lankan Tamil filmmakers are enthusiastic about creating short films, and more than 100 short films are now released annually, particularly on YouTube or at Sri Lankan short film festivals. But only a very small number of their short films have been seen by audiences. The majority of Tamil filmmakers in Sri Lanka struggle to reach a wider audience with their works. This research has been conducted to find out the challenges faced by the Sri Lankan Tamil short filmmakers. This research discusses about what are the challenges faced by Sri Lankan Tamil short filmmakers. What do Sri Lankan Tamil viewers anticipate from Sri Lankan Tamil short filmmakers? What are the strategies that can be used by Sri Lankan Tamil filmmakers to reach a larger audience for their short films? The research was conducted among Sri Lankan Tamil filmmakers and Sri Lankan Tamil audiences. The research concludes that the primary challenges faced by Sri Lankan Tamil short filmmakers are a lack of funding, a lack of experience in the film industry, the producers' personal goals or desires, a lack of platforms to screen or market the film for a wide audience outside of YouTube, discrimination on the basis of location and ethnicity among the audience, the fact that the cost of showing the short films in theatres exceeds their budgets, a shortage of full-time artists, a lack of crew involvement, and poor audio quality output. The audience has determined that the main shortcomings of Sri Lankan Tamil short films include poor acting, poor screenplay, poor cast selection, a low budget, and poor sounds. The majority of viewers prefer to watch short films in their own Tamil rather than Tamil used in Indian cinema. The study suggests that Tamil filmmakers in Sri Lanka should increase their level of filmmaking expertise. The directors' vision should be understood by the producers. A strategy for marketing or promoting the films to a broad audience should be put into place. Sri Lanka could use more over-the-top (OTT) platforms for its own artistic products. The proprietors of theatres ought to think about offering Sri Lankan films a discount, since this will inspire more filmmakers to produce high-caliber films for distribution.

This essay comprehensively explores the evolving roles of women in Sri Lankan cinema, tracing its inception to the contemporary landscape. It navigates through familial narratives in the industry's early days to narratives defying conventions amid socio-political changes. War films and historical dramas are analysed for their impact on portraying women. The emergence of female filmmakers challenges traditional norms, led by figures like Rukmani Devi and Sumithra Pieris. Contemporary directors Anomma Rajakaruna, Sumathi Sivamohan, and Inoka Sathyangani contribute to feminist narratives. The essay concludes with optimism for a future shaped by young female filmmakers, signalling a dynamic and inclusive era in Sri Lankan cinema.

Self reflectivity is also another technique postmodern film makers used in improvisation in their cinematic exercises particularly by western and some Bollywood film makers. But in the 70 years of short history of Sri Lankan cinema post modern themes or theory or its other improvised techniques have not been made use of by most Sri Lankan directors as they had been modern in terms of theme, form and content. Above all their presentation has been linear.

Aesthetics is a branch of philosophy that concerns with the nature and scope of any art forms. It is also understood and concerned with the nature of artistic taste and creation and appreciation of beauty. Thus, film/cinema is essentially a technical term used to capture both the essence of art and aesthetics. It is ultimately a work of art. Moreover, the dual roles of belonging both to the genre of art and aesthetic is so embedded in the so-called film/cinema. It is worth mentioning that film/cinema cannot exist without the aid of technological apparatus, camera. In order to orient my study towards a phenomenology of film, I believe, one needs to first of all understand and explore the interconnectedness that lies between aesthetics and technology. As far as my experiences in the field of making documentaries and films go, aesthetics and technology go hand and hand; one cannot survive without the other. In doing so, a question arises whether the interrelatedness between the aesthetics and technology sometimes or more often does distort the reality of a thing or the true work of art that one aims to capture through film/ cinema?

 The objective of this study is to explore the psychic, moral, ethical and logical significances in the spectatorship of Bollywood and Tamil film in the Sri Lanka. Bollywood and Tamil film has been taking a very popular cultural performance in Sri Lanka. The original Indian spectatorship of these film traditions has been diverted by the cultural and political psychology of Sri Lanka. Hence, this local orientation of the Indian cinema remains a quite metamorphosis and deconstruction in its appreciation and screening in terms of the social, cultural and political features that deeply-rooted in Sri Lankan history, culture and geographical limitations. For this study, several film texts, which include typical Bollywood and Tamil film characteristic features were used and observed on how they have been absorbed in the Sri Lankan cultural society. And on the other hand, some audience surveys specific to different film appreciation contexts were conducted. They included urban slums, semi-rural Muslim societies, north and east areas of Tamil villages, Colombo urban society, Tamil state areas and Kandyan Sinhala rural villages. In the textual analysis of the film content, implicit psychological narrations and their social and aesthetic interpretations were revealed in the analytical explanations. Using the audience surveys, many different opinions that can be traditionally filtered in the screening and appreciation of these film traditions specific to their living cultural settings were also identified. In conclusion, perception in Sinhala film has been considerably designed by the experience of Bollywood and Tamil film spectatorship is deducted by this study. Hence, not only this social trend affected to the appreciation of film in local general audience but also in all the facets of film production (script writing, shooting, acting, dialoguing, music and choreography and screening) has also significantly being influenced by the Bollywood and Tamil film. As a result of this evolution of local film culture, most recent trend in Sinhala film noir is also being followed by the early subjective consequences of Bollywood and Tamil film culture in Sri Lanka.

The objective of this study is to explore the psychic, moral, ethical and logical significances in the spectatorship of
Bollywood and Tamil film in the Sri  Lanka. Bollywood and Tamil  film has been taking a very popular cultural
performance  in  Sri  Lanka.  The  original  Indian  spectatorship  of  these  film  traditions  has  been  diverted  by  the
cultural and political  psychology of Sri Lanka.  Hence, this local orientation of the Indian cinema remains a quite
metamorphosis  and  deconstruction  in  its  appreciation  and  screening  in  terms  of  the  social,  cultural  and  political
features that deeply-rooted in Sri Lankan history, culture and geographical limitations.  For this study, several film
texts, which include typical Bollywood and Tamil film characteristic features were used and observed  on how they
have been absorbed in the Sri Lankan cultural society.  And on the other  hand, some audience surveys specific to
different film appreciation contexts were conducted. They included urban slums, semi-rural Muslim societies, north
and east areas of Tamil villages, Colombo urban society, Tamil state areas and Kandyan Sinhala rural villages.  In
the textual analysis of the film content, implicit psychological narrations and their social and aesthetic interpretations
were  revealed  in  the  analytical  explanations.  Using  the  audience  surveys,  many  different  opinions  that  can  be
traditionally filtered in the screening and appreciation of these film traditions specific to their living cultural settings
were also identified. In conclusion, perception in Sinhala film has been considerably designed by the experience of
Bollywood and Tamil film spectatorship is deducted by this study. Hence, not only this social trend affected to the
appreciation of film in local general audience but also in all the facets of film production (script writing, shooting,
acting,  dialoguing,  music  and  choreography  and  screening)  has  also  significantly  being  influenced  by  the
Bollywood and Tamil film. As a result of this evolution of local film culture, most recent trend in Sinhala film noir
is also being followed by the early subjective consequences of Bollywood and Tamil film culture in Sri Lanka.

 This study investigates how Internet media in the mobile phone influence on the cognitive and behavioral aspects of human sexuality. Sex is being deviating from socially accepted behaviors; ranging from bisexuality to homosexuality. Based on the qualitative methodology using particular case studies and textual analysis as well as survey research leading to quantitative methodology, this assumes of a transition of cultures as a result of the thorough impact of Internet towards society. In conclusion, Internet implicit practices in the Mobile Phone in youth and teen societies storms a big change in sexuality, is also affecting towards the human cognitive and behavioral phases of the social life in traditional Buddhist rural village setting in Sri Lanka.

Media has been the equipment for conveying message towards its audience through the use of a particular communication medium. After 18th century, with the industrial revolution media had played a major role in public opinion and entertainment for both commercial and political purposes.  As in the global experience, in Sri Lanka, electronic media; Radio and Television, were instrumental in expanding entertainment programs, which was remained prioritized by the audience in increasing number. As a result of this transition, Buddhist religious preaching and chanting were utilized for commercial benefits of the media industry, so that media owners expected to receive a substantial amount of financial profit from the advertisement, as their media audience were aggregated by the Buddhist religious programs. Hence, objective of this study is to reveal the hidden agendas of the broadcasting of Buddhist religious programs in Radio media in Sri Lanka.
This study conducted using qualitative research methodology that equipped content analysis and textual analysis of the radio media channels and their programs of Buddhist religious contents. The study directed in the time frame of August 2014 to August 2015. Data were analyzed qualitatively. Content of the religious programs in Radio were analyzed using their content, narration and substance, while interviewed data from the program designers and planners were analyzed  using critical theory.
Finally, based on the qualitative data analysis of the gathered data, this study concludes that Buddhist religious cult is used for the commercial objectives of media in Sri Lanka. In Sri Lanka broadcasting Corporation ( SLBC)  Radio after broadcasting Buddhist religious chanting in the early morning, other radio channels also applied competitively the same model for attracting more listeners, so that they expected to earn significant amount of money from the advertisements, as the respective industries wanted to showcase their product for a great number of audiences. However, Buddhist religious programs were not designed to develop the practice of the basic precepts and practices of Buddhist philosophy.  On the other, Buddhist religious programs were immensely utilized to popular  radio media channel  in  the phase of  rapidly growing competition in the media  in Sri Lanka, while radio was instrumental in making marketing more productive through the use of Buddhist  religious culture in the advertising  campaign in the media economy and market.
Technical Terms; Entertainment media, Religious Media, Advertisement, Marketing, Media Industry.