June >> How to Reach 21 Your Full Potential - Public Lecture Ô RUWANTHI ABEYAKOON A public lecture on ‘How to reach your full potential’ will be held at the American Centre Colombo on June 21 This week’s Cultural Diary brings you details about several other fascinating events hap- at 4 pm. Dr Lionel Mandy, a Fulbright scholar and full- pening in the city. Take your pick of stage plays, exhibitions, or dance performance and add colour to your routine life. You can make merry and enjoy the adventures or sit back, relax time lecturer, Department of Africana Studies at the Cali- and enjoy a movie of your choice. Make a little space to kick into high gear amid the busy Kandy International Film Festival fornia State University will be the speaker of the evening. work schedules to enjoy the exciting events happening at venues around the city. If there is The lecture will be linked to American Corners in Kandy, an event you would like others to know, drop an email to [email protected] or call More than 15 full-length films from Bangladeshi film Meherjaan by Rubaiyat Jaffna and American Centre in Male through DVC. Seats us on 011 2429652. Have a pleasant week. around the world will make their Sri Hossain, which explores forbidden love in are limited. Lankan debut at the Kandy International a dramatic narrative; Memories of a Burn- Film Festival from June 22 to 26. Films ing Tree, which takes place in Tanzania from Bangladesh, France, India, Singa- directed by Sherman Ong. pore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the United Mundane History by Thailand’s Anocha June Art exhibition June Othello in Sinhala Kingdom, and the United States will be Suwichakornpong, which considers ideas >> >> screened at the festival. of existence and human connection; and 21 by Dinusha Uthpala 24 Presented by the Shakespeare The opening night film for the festival the joint India-France production Virgin is an exhilarating French feature by David Goat by Murali Nair, a humorous and Upasena Centre Sri Lanka Dusa called Fleurs du Mal, which will be engaging story about a man on a quest. shown in an adults-only screening on Tickets to film screenings can be pur- An art exhibition by Dinusha Uthpala Upasena will be The Shakespeare Centre Sri Wednesday, June 22 at 6.30 pm at the chased at the KCC, at the British Council, held at the Lionel Wendt Art Gallery, 18, Guildford Cres- Lanka will present the 1000th per- Open Air Theatre at the University of or at the door prior to each screening. For cent, Colombo 7 from June 21 to 23. formance of William Shakespeare’s Peradeniya. Other international feature more information call Darshana - Othello (Sinhala version). Translat- films include: I Am, by acclaimed Indian 0778128102. Please visit www.kandyin- ed and directed by Obinamuni director Onir, which weaves together four ternationalfilmfestival.com for more Gamini De Silva the play will be stories of contemporary India; details. June staged June 24 at the Tower Hall >> Fete de la theatre at 6.30 pm. This performance is a landmark This month the American Centre will screen Sidney Lumet Directed Movies. 22 Musique 2011 event in the history of our organi- sation as it is a grand new produc- tion with a new visionary The Verdict approach. The philosophical @ American Centre themes and the operatic form of the original play is hereby adopted to a contemporary setting. The Verdict (1973) will be screened on June Othello is one of Shakespeare’s most celebrated plays 21 at the American Centre, No 44, Galle Road, and this production will attempt to prove the possibil- Colombo 3 at 6 pm. (Running Time: 129 min- ity that it is also one of Shakespeare’s most roman- utes) tic plays. This production will transcend the con- In this 1982 courtroom drama written by David ventional interpretations according to which this Mamet and directed by Sidney Lumet, Paul New- play is typically perceived. Othello, the moor of man found the perfect role for a transitional peri- Venice, is not merely a historical figure victimized od of his stellar career. As alcoholic Boston lawyer by the racism in a white society. Instead, Othel- Frank Galvin, Newman shook off his screen per- lo symbolises an idea that is relevant to all times sona as a handsome, blue-eyed hunk to portray an Alliance Francaise de Kotte will organize the Fete de la and cultures. aging, weary man whose best years are behind Musique at the BMICH on Wednesday, June 22, at 4 pm The music is by Pradeep Jayathilaka and the chore- him, with a shot-glass future that looks very bleak with the support of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs in Sri ography is by Chamari Ranasingha. The cast includes indeed. But when Galvin is given a chance to Lanka, the BMICH and the Embassy of France. Mahendra Weeraratne, Rasangika Wijeynayaka, redeem himself—by proving medical negligence in The afternoon will be dedicated to various Sri Lankan Nigel Raymond, Nilmini Perera, Angel De the case of a comatose woman—he makes one final musicians presenting their work to the audience. The Silva, Mano Senaratne, Sujeewa effort to regain his self-respect and tarnished reputa- French school will inaugurate the afternoon, followed by Pathinisekara, Wijith Medawala, tion. Seating is limited and is first-come, first-served. the dance and music group from Art Department of the Ajith Theldeniya, Harshanath University of Kelaniya. Then, several artistes will appear Perera and Susil Kumara. on stage, including Natasha, Hania, Pabalu, Daisy and Wade. The Ravibandu Vidyapathi Drum Ensemble will Tuck Everlasting then show their great talent in an original performance with pianist Sundarie David. The youth movie Tuck Everlasting they will stay that way. Winnie falls in This afternoon will be followed by an explosive live (2005) will be screened on June 25 at love with one of the Tucks, Jesse, a ‘17’- performance of the Sri Lankan and the French rock group 3.30 pm (Running time 90 minutes) at year-old boy who shares the same feelings Stigmata and Merzhin from 8 pm onwards. Renowned for the American Centre, No. 44, Galle Road, for her. Scared of death, Winnie must their wild live shows, the six musicians of Merzhin will Colombo 3. choose between being immortal and be on tour in several Asian countries and will present Tuck Everlasting is the story of a girl being with Jesse or following the circle of their last album ‘Plus loin vers l’Ouest’ (Further west- named Winnie and a family whom she life and dying someday. The Tucks try to ward), to the public of Colombo. meets, the Tucks. The Tucks have a teach her how she shouldn’t fear death, secret, they’re immortal. They drank how they would give anything to die. It water from a spring that was actually a teaches the importance and understand- fountain of youth. Until the end of time, ing of life and death. June >> Colombo, June >> Thelithudaka 24 Saviyak 24 Colombo Sur mes Levres @ AF de Colombo by Anushka Jayasekera Sur mes Levres by Jacques Audiard will Indika Ferdinando’s Colombo Colombo Thelithudaka Saviyak, an art exhibition by Anushka be screened on Tuesday, June 21 at 3 pm which received seven awards including Jayasekera will be held at the Lionel Wendt Art and Wednesday, June 22 at 6.30 pm at Best Play of the Year at the National The- Gallery, 18, Guildford Crescent, Colombo 7 from June Alliance Francaise de Colombo, 11, atre Festival 2010 will be staged at the 24 to 26 from 8 am to 7.30 pm. This is Anushka’s Barnes Place, Colombo 07. Lionel Wendt Theatre on June 24 at third art exhibition with over 70 paintings on display. Young secretary Carla is a long-time 3.30 pm and 7 pm. employee of a property development com- The play also clinched Best Music pany. Loyal and hardworking, first to Composition, Best Choreography arrive and last to leave, Carla is beginning and Best Stage Management. June >> Balloth Ekka Be to chafe at the limitations of her career Colombo Colombo was the repre- and is looking to move up. But as a 35- her own abilities. Into her life comes Paul sentative of Sri Lanka at the South 25 The hilarious comedy Balloth Ekka Be year-old woman with a hearing deficiency, Angeli, a new trainee she decides to hire. Asian Women’s Theatre Festival written and directed by Ravindra Ariyarath- she is not sure how to climb out of her This adventurous drama with English 2010 and the Kathmandu Inter- na, will be staged at the Lionel Wendt Theatre on June humdrum life, though she is confident in subtitles is for general viewing. national Theatre Festival 2010. 25 at 3.30 pm and 7 pm. Vijaya Nandasiri, Roshan This tragi-comic musical play Pilapitiya, Gihan Fernando, Kumara Thirimadura, is fast-paced, theatrical, and Saman Hemarathna (Leelasena), Sarath Kothalawala bursting with energy. and Anusha Disanayake star in the play. Ridicule @ AF de Kotte Ridicule (Ridiculous) a romance by Patrice Leconte (1996) will be screened on June 24 June at 6 pm at AF de Kotte, 139, Jawatta Road, >> Exhibition of paintings by Laki Senanayake Colombo 5. (Duration- 102 minutes) Gregoire Ponceludon de Malavoy of the Well known 20 18th century French countryside is wealthy in artist, Laki property and high in social position although Senanayake will have an poor in cash. Local peasants who are depen- exhibition of his new works dent upon his largesse for their income are in at the Barefoot Gallery, poor health as the result of a festering marsh 704, Galle Road, Colombo that, if drained, could solve the villagers’ ill- 03 (Behind Barefoot nesses and create valuable farmland.