Shirley’s ‘Piyabanna Ayeth’ ready to release
Film assistant director, production executive and television producer Shirley Samarasinghe’s maiden film ‘Piyabanna Ayeth’ will be released soon. Screenplay written and produced by U. A. Palliyaguruge, the film stars Kalana Gunasekara and Chamathka Lakmini in the main roles and it revolves around a middle aged woman who yearns for love.
Cinematographed by Gayan Geethapriya, edited by Chandana Sonnadara and music director of the film is Amith Guruand.
The film was shot from Point Pedro to Southern Sri Lanka covering the entire country including Jaffna, Anuradhapra, Polonnaruwa,
Nuwara Eliya, Badulla, World’s End, Ampara and Tangalle.
“We had to travel around the country as the script required such a variety of locations,” said director Shirley adding that the scheduled 18 days shooting had to be extended due to extensive travelling.
“The film is a new interpretation to love,” said the director.
Started with television following a diploma from the National Youth Services Council, Shirley first joined the National TelevisionRupavahini for its Education Unit. “I initially started as an announcer and a presenter and later I worked as an assistant director under a number of teledrama directors,”.
With the aim to be a filmmaker, Shirley followed the cinema course
conducted by the National Film Corporation (NFC). His first short film ‘Sky’ won the Best film award at the National State Award and later it won the Jury’s Best Award at the Banglaore Short Film Festival.
Having worked as an assistant director and a production manager in a number of teledramas, Shirley started to director documentary and magazine programmes for the television. He has produced a number of documentaries and he has done a sports programme for the Channel Eye.
Later he joined the award winning film ‘Sayapethi Kusuma’ (Frangipani) directed by Visakesa Chandrasekaram. Later he also joined Visakesa’s internationally awarded film ‘Paangshu’.
The direction of ‘Piyabanna Ayeth’ was on the invitation of its producer U. A. Palliyaguru.
“I worked at Guththila Solutions production house of U. A. Palliyaguru and the story was a concept of Palliyaguru himself,” Shirlye said. This is the eighth film production by Palliyaguru.
Shirley who also works as a freelance journalist. As a journalist he has been writing articles relating to arts and cinema for arts supplement of Siluman, of Lake House publication.
“Our plan is to release ‘Piyabanna Ayeth’ as soon as the theatres are opened after Covid 19 pandemic,” Shirley said highlighting the importance of getting back to normalcy.