Paradise

Paradise

Director: Prasanna Vithanage

Cast: Roshan Mathew, Darshana Rajendran, Shyam Fernando, Mahendra Perera

Year Of The Film: 2023

Language: English/ Tamil/ Sinhalese

Length: 1 hour 33 minutes

Premiere status:

Busan Indian Film Festival

Synopsis

Eager to celebrate their 5th Anniversary, Amrutha, a blogger, along with her husband Kesav, a film producer, arrive in Sri Lanka from Mumbai to experience a mystical tour of historical places in Sri Lanka according to the Indian epic Ramayana. When three masked men enter their hill country bungalow, and steal their mobile phones, laptops and Amrutha’s camera, the couple seeks aid from the local police. They report the theft to Sgt. Bandara. Pressured to find the culprits, Sgt. Bandara produces three unemployed men as suspects. Kesav identifies them as the culprits. One of the men collapses at the police station. The injured man is sent to hospital and dies while receiving treatment in the ICU. The arrests fail to recover their stolen goods, leaving Kesav and Amrutha confined to their bungalow. Amrutha finds solace in the beautiful surroundings however Kesav grows increasingly frustrated as he’s unable to proceed with his work. The difference in their attitudes creates a deep chasm in their marriage.

Director: Prasanna Vithanage

Prasanna Vithanage is a Sri Lankan film director and screenwriter. He is widely regarded as one of the most talented and influential filmmakers in Sri Lanka. He is best known for his thought-provoking films that often deal with social, political, and cultural issues. His films have received numerous awards and accolades both locally and internationally, and have been praised for their bold and innovative storytelling. Some of his notable films include "Purahanda Kaluwara", "Oba Nathuwa Oba Ekka", “Akasa Kusum” and "Gaadi". Prasanna Vithanage is also an activist and has been involved in human rights and peace initiatives.

“I believe that the true nature of an individual surfaces in the face of crisis. Through the journey of an Indian tourist couple, I seek to draw out the realities of life and how this in turn affects each of them and their relationship. The imbalances of race, status, justice and gender will be brought to light and it is my aim to delve deeply into these persisting disparities and how these might provoke the characters to act. The characters in this story grapple with societal, personal and internal struggles and through their experience, it is my intention to reveal an objective truth about human nature.”

Awards received:

Kim Ji Seok Award, Busan International Film Festival

Prix du Jury Lycéen, Vesoul Asian Film Festival

Las Palmas International Film Festival, Audience Jury Award