COLOMBO : The cine-lovers of Colombo had a treat on the SAARC Film Day watching the critically acclaimed Bangladeshi movie “Haldaa” at the Tharanganie Theatre Friday Aug.25.
The SAARC Film Day is an initiative by the SAARC Cultural Centre in Colombo to screen award winning movies of the member states of SAARC. It began with the screening of “Haldaa” which was patronized by the Bangladesh High Commission in Colombo in collaboration with the National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka.
‘The Haldaa’ won the SAARC Film Festival Award in 2018 in four categories—best feature film, best cinematography, best editor and best original score. Besides, it had also won national film awards in Bangladesh and also many other international accolades.
Eminent film critic of Sri Lanka Anoma Rajakaruna introduced the movie to the audience. The movie is named after the river ‘Haldaa’ which is the only and one natural breeding ground of carp fishes in Bangladesh. The storyline realistically portrays the symbiotic relationship between the river and the people who depend on it for their livelihood; the deterioration of Haldaa due to environmental pollution and the vulnerabilities and exploitation it brought upon the artisanal fishermen; the traditional rural society and its prejudices; the plight of women folk and their graduation through empowerment.
The movie serves as a poignant reminder that as societies progress, there must be a balance between development and preservation as well as tradition and innovation.
Tauquir Ahmed, the renowned Bangladeshi architect turned actor-Director of the movie, was virtually connected. He responded to the questions from the audience after the screening. He shared the significant impact the movie, after its release, had on improving the condition of the Haldaa through affirmative actions by the government and the society at large.
The gripping movie was appreciated by the audience who identified many similarities between the societies and societal practices of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
High Commissioner of Bangladesh Tareq Md Ariful Islam inaugurated the screening as the chief guest in the presence of Director of SAARC Cultural Centre Ms. Renuka Ekanayake and Chairman of National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka Deepal Chandrarathne. Apart from Sri Lankan cinema connoisseurs, representatives of diplomatic missions of SAARC member states as well as other countries were present and watched the movie.
