Nisadas

The gentle caress of the sea breeze, the glint of sunlight upon dew-topped leaves in the morning, the cacophony of birds, the kaleidescope of colour in the flowers… it’s little wonder that artists throughout the ages have depicted Nature with a distinctly maternal theme.

So human beings take all this for granted, thinking that every day will be all sugar and sweetness.

Yet when we stand upon the beach and feel the waves gently lapping our feet, we become acutely aware of the simmering power of the ocean. And then there are those terrible days when we find out just what nature can do.

Nature has once again shown its awesome potential as a destructive force. If the tsunami that devastated much of the coastal areas in Sri Lanka, Thailand and Indonesia wasn’t enough indication of what it can do, then the hurricane that’s devastated New Orleans certainly is.

While I am shocked by the destruction caused by natural events, I am shocked even more by the events that have unfolded due to human intervention – the sniper attack on rescuers at the hospital, the armed gangs looting etc. Despite seeing and hearing of incidents of this nature in the past, the effect is hardly diminished. I have always been cynical of human nature and these incidents just go on to affirm that view, especially with regard to the scammers who are trying to make a quick buck off this calamity.

Indi and Ivap have details on the US response to this calamity and various questions that have been asked on its implementation. Judging by the the relief activities carried out here in Sri Lanka by American personnel during the post-tsunami period, we can only hope that those so strongly affected by the hurricane will receive similar relief – soon.

The latest developments on this story unfold on CNN and BBC.

The ravages of nature are the most powerful message that we, collectively as humanity, are still fallible and have much further to go. Amongst the angels who heed the call of their conscience to help the helpless – irrespective of differences of geography, ethnicity, religion or whatever other distinction – there still walk demons.

UPDATE: If you’re looking for the official site for Samanala Thatu, please visit http://filmslanka.com

My favourite movies are generally on the lines of “Lion of the Desert” starring Anthony Quinn, “Patriot”, “Braveheart”, “The Lord of the Rings”, “Last Samurai” – you get the picture. Breathtaking scenery, cavalry charges, flag waving, suicidal warriors – the works.

On Thursday evening, I had the opportunity (thanks to Thiva) to attend a film with a much more personal look – “Samanala Thatu” (“Butterfly Wings”) is now on at the Savoy.

I’m not by any definition of the term, a film critic. I’m certainly not qualified to be one. I fell asleep – twice- in an attempt to watch Titanic and have watched hardly any Sri Lankan movies.
Therefore, this post cannot (and certainly should not) be construed as a review.

But basically – Samanala Thatu is, IMHO, a good movie. It doesn’t necessarily preach about any topic in particular, although there seemed to be a focus on children’s rights.

What struck me the most, however, was the manner in which the life of the less-privileged of urban Sri Lanka was portrayed. Everyday concerns were clearly displayed and the camera hid nothing of the stark reality that so many people today sadly face in our island home.

Having read Prabhath’s wonderful post on being a Third World Designer the theme of this movie was even more relevant.

A fascinating point that was also brought up was the role played by Child Protection Agencies(CPA). Throughout the movie, the plight of street children was clearly presented, with many ways in which they are exploited by those around them. The CPAs however, it would seem have the best of intentions, but not the best of methods to implement them, in the movie. I don’t have much of an idea on how they work in real life, so no comment on that either.

But enough of all the meandering statements. Samanala Thatu is a really good movie – I enjoyed watching it and appreciated the insights into scenes of life that we could so easily ignore.