Sanjeewa Pushpakumara
Encyclopedia
Sanjeewa Pushpakumara is a Sri Lankan film director, writer, and producer. He grew up in the Eastern Province
of Sri Lanka and completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura
in 2005. In 2008, he obtained his master's degree in Mass Communications from the University of Kelaniya
. From 2005 to 2006, Pushpakumara pursued a diploma in filmmaking from Sri Lanka's National Film Corporation, where he graduated at the top of his class.
Pushpakumara began his career as a presenter for an FM radio channel. Displeased with this job, he left it soon after to become a freelance newspaper journalist writing about film, drama, and other cultural events for the newspaper Ravaya
, considered to be a pioneer in alternative journalism in Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, he became a television presenter, scriptwriter, and producer for the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation and Sirasa TV
.
In 2007, Pushpakumara received a scholarship from the Korean Culture and Tourism Ministry under its Cultural Partnership Initiative (CPI), to study film-making in the Asian Young Film Forum and also to learn Korean language
at Chonbuk National University
(Korea). In 2009, he again underwent training in the Asian Film Academy as part of the Busan International Film Festival. Pushpakumara is currently completing an advanced degree in film-making at Chung-Ang University
in South Korea
, under the Korean government scholarship program.
Pushpakumara's first feature film, Flying Fish (Igillena Maluwo)
, received a grant from the Hubert Bals Fund of the International Film Festival Rotterdam
(Huub Bals
) to support its post-production costs. The film was subsequently honored with a nomination for the festival's Tiger Award for new directors. Based on the director's own life experiences, the film reflects the deep social and psychological trauma of the country's twenty-six-year-long civil war
.
Pushpakumara has through time been praised by many it was said by Tony Rayns
at the 5th Cinema Digital Seoul Film Festival that "Sri Lankan Cinema has found its true modernist" and he has also said that "Flying Fish (Igillena Maluwo)
is indecently beautiful"http://filmguide.viff.org/tixSYS/2011/xslguide/eventnote?EventNumber=0410& in one of his much read reviews.
Eastern Province, Sri Lanka
The Eastern Province is one of the 9 provinces of Sri Lanka. The provinces have existed since the 19th century but they didn't have any legal status until 1987 when the 13th Amendment to the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka established provincial councils. Between 1988 and 2006 the province was...
of Sri Lanka and completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura
University of Sri Jayewardenepura
The University of Sri Jayewardenepura is one of the Universities in Sri Lanka. It is located in Gangodawila, Nugegoda, near Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte, the capital city of Sri Lanka...
in 2005. In 2008, he obtained his master's degree in Mass Communications from the University of Kelaniya
University of Kelaniya
The University of Kelaniya is a state university of Sri Lanka. Situated just outside the municipal limits of Colombo, in the ancient and historic city of Kelaniya, the University has two major campuses, seven locations, six faculties and four institutions....
. From 2005 to 2006, Pushpakumara pursued a diploma in filmmaking from Sri Lanka's National Film Corporation, where he graduated at the top of his class.
Pushpakumara began his career as a presenter for an FM radio channel. Displeased with this job, he left it soon after to become a freelance newspaper journalist writing about film, drama, and other cultural events for the newspaper Ravaya
Ravaya
Ravaya is a Sri Lankan Sinhala tabloid published by Victor Ivan. It is known for its radical political views. Ravaya was a staunch supporter of Chandrika Kumaratunga in 1994. Ravaya is an intellectuals forum for non traditional analysis of social, political, cultural and judicial views of Sri Lanka...
, considered to be a pioneer in alternative journalism in Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, he became a television presenter, scriptwriter, and producer for the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation and Sirasa TV
Sirasa TV
Sirasa TV is an analogue terrestrial television network in Sri Lanka. It is the sister channel of 'Channel 1 MTV' which was established in 1992. Sirasa TV was founded in 1998 to similar itself to their Radio network Sirasa FM. Sirasa TV is owned by the Sri Lankan business conglomerate The Capital...
.
In 2007, Pushpakumara received a scholarship from the Korean Culture and Tourism Ministry under its Cultural Partnership Initiative (CPI), to study film-making in the Asian Young Film Forum and also to learn Korean language
Korean language
Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...
at Chonbuk National University
Chonbuk National University
Chonbuk National University in Jeonju, South Korea is the Flagship Korean National University for Jeollabuk-do province, also known as Jeonbuk or Chonbuk. Chonbuk National University has been constantly recognized as one of top universities in the world ranked 501-550th in the world by QS Top...
(Korea). In 2009, he again underwent training in the Asian Film Academy as part of the Busan International Film Festival. Pushpakumara is currently completing an advanced degree in film-making at Chung-Ang University
Chung-Ang University
The Chung-Ang University is a private comprehensive institution in South Korea, located over two campuses in Seoul and Anseong. It was founded subsequent to liberation from Japanese colonial rule for the benefit of the nation and advancement of civilization, with the educational philosophy of...
in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, under the Korean government scholarship program.
Pushpakumara's first feature film, Flying Fish (Igillena Maluwo)
Flying Fish (film)
Flying Fish is a 2011 anthology film directed by Sri Lankan filmmaker Sanjeewa Pushpakumara. The film was produced with the financial support of the Hubert Bals Fund of the International Film Festival Rotterdam . The film made its world premiere on January 28, 2011, as part of the Rotterdam...
, received a grant from the Hubert Bals Fund of the International Film Festival Rotterdam
International Film Festival Rotterdam
The International Film Festival Rotterdam is an annual film festival held in various cinemas in Rotterdam, Netherlands held at the end of January. It is approximately comparable in size to other major European festivals such as Cannes, Venice, Berlin, and Locarno...
(Huub Bals
Huub Bals
Hubertus Bernardus “Huub” Bals was the first director and creator of the International Film Festival Rotterdam , formerly named Film International. The IFFR started small in the Calypso cinema and film theatre 't Venster in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, in 1972, with only 4500 visitors and 31 films...
) to support its post-production costs. The film was subsequently honored with a nomination for the festival's Tiger Award for new directors. Based on the director's own life experiences, the film reflects the deep social and psychological trauma of the country's twenty-six-year-long civil war
Sri Lankan civil war
The Sri Lankan Civil War was a conflict fought on the island of Sri Lanka. Beginning on July 23, 1983, there was an on-and-off insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , a separatist militant organization which fought to create an independent Tamil state named Tamil...
.
Pushpakumara has through time been praised by many it was said by Tony Rayns
Tony Rayns
Antony Rayns is a British writer, commentator, film festival programmer and screenwriter. Much inspired in his youth by the films of Kenneth Anger, he wrote for the underground publication Cinema Rising before contributing to the Monthly Film Bulletin from the December 1970 issue until its demise...
at the 5th Cinema Digital Seoul Film Festival that "Sri Lankan Cinema has found its true modernist" and he has also said that "Flying Fish (Igillena Maluwo)
Flying Fish (film)
Flying Fish is a 2011 anthology film directed by Sri Lankan filmmaker Sanjeewa Pushpakumara. The film was produced with the financial support of the Hubert Bals Fund of the International Film Festival Rotterdam . The film made its world premiere on January 28, 2011, as part of the Rotterdam...
is indecently beautiful"http://filmguide.viff.org/tixSYS/2011/xslguide/eventnote?EventNumber=0410& in one of his much read reviews.
Short Films
- An Encounter in the Woods (2009) (Production designer)
- Wings to Fly (2008) (Director/Writer/Producer)
- Touch (2007) (Director/Writer/Producer)
Flying Fish
- Best Director Award, New Territories Competition / St.Pertersburg International Film Festival- KINOFORUM 2011
- Blue Chameleon Award, 5th CinDi IFF aka Cinema Digital International Film Festival ,Soul, South Korea
- Special Jury Mention for Red Chameleon Award, 5th CinDi IFF aka Cinema Digital International Film Festival ,Soul, South Korea
- Critic’s Choice Award, 5th New Jersey South Asian Film Festival, USA,
- Tiger Award (Nominated) / 40th International Film Festival RotterdamInternational Film Festival RotterdamThe International Film Festival Rotterdam is an annual film festival held in various cinemas in Rotterdam, Netherlands held at the end of January. It is approximately comparable in size to other major European festivals such as Cannes, Venice, Berlin, and Locarno...
- New Directors Award (Nominated) / 37th Seattle International Film FestivalSeattle International Film FestivalThe Seattle International Film Festival , held annually in Seattle, Washington since 1976, is among the top film festivals in North America. Audiences have grown steadily; the 2006 festival had 160,000 attendees...
- Lino Micciche Award (Nominated) / 47th Pesaro International Film Festival (Mostra Internazionale de Nuova Cinema)
- NETPAC Award (Nominated) / 40th International Film Festival Rotterdam
- Silesian Film Award (Nominated) / Ars Independent International Film Festival 2011 Katowice
- Tokyo FILMeX IFF (Nominated) Best Film
Festivals
- 40th Rotterdam International Film Festival - the Netherlands 26th January to 6th February,2011
- 37th Seattle IFF, Seattle, USA - May 19th to June 12th,2011.
- 1st Ars International Film Festival Katowich –Poland ,June 15-19th,2011
- 47th Pesaro IFF,Italy - June 19th - 27th,2011
- Museum of Modern Art (aka MoMA) - New York,USA - July 7- 13,2011 - Under Contemporary Asian Cinema Series.
- CINEMATEK (The Belgian Royal Film archive)- Brussels , July 1- - 14,2011 for L’Age d’or prize and the Cinédécouvertes Prizes
- 2nd St.Petrsburg IFF (aka Kino Forum),St.Petrsburg,Russia - July 10th - 15th,2011.
- 5th CinDi IFF aka Cinema Digital International Film Festival ,Soul, South Korea, August 17th to 23rd,2011
- 11th Indie World Film Festival, September 01 – 29th September, 2011, Brazil.
- 30th Vancouver International Film Festival – September 29th to 14th October,2011, Canada
- London Film Festival (LBF) –October 13th – 28th,2011, London
- Hawaii International Film Festival ,October 13 to 23rd,2011 ,USA.
- 47th Chicago IFF,Chicago ,USA - October 6th - 20 th,2011 – World Cinema.
- New Jersey South Asian Film Festival, USA, October 21st to 23rd,2011.
- 52nd Thessaloniki International Film Festival, November 4th-13th 2011in New Horizon section
- 3rd i San Francisco South Asian Film Festival, November 9th-13th,2011, USA.
- 15thTallinn Black Nights Film Festival in Estonia, November 16th to 30th,2011.
- 12th TOKYO FILMeX IFF, November 19th -27th,2011 ,Tokyo, Japan.
- 34th 3continents IFF November 22 -29, 2011 Nantes France.
- 42nd International Film Festival –Goa, November 23rd – December 3rd 2011, India