A movie on 1544 Mannar Massacre

First movie to have started in a burial ground

Infamous 1544 Mannar massacre of nearly 700 Christians in the history of Sri Lanka and subsequent invasion of Northern Sri Lanka by Portuguese invasion on Northern Sri Lanka will be designed into a historical movie by young filmmaker Sanjaya Nirmal.

With an ideal symbolic gesture the social media launch of the film ‘Seed’ or ‘Prana’ was held at Thottaweli in Mannar at the historical burial site where those Christian murdered by Tamil Cankili king. The publicity campaign was launched on Youtube, Facebook and on Instragam. Interestingly ‘Seeds’ will go down the history as the first film to have started in a burial ground, where some might view as an inauspicious beginning.

However the filmmaker Sanajaya Nirmal who is famed for his previous films like ‘Samara’ , ‘Rosa Kele’ and ‘July Hathai’is optimistic and positive about his decision as the movie would be the greatest honour that could be award for a groups of Sri Lankans who were martyred for the faith they upheld.

According to the historical data, around 700 Christians in Mannar had been killed by Cankali king. Angered by this Catholic priests have complained to the Portuguese rulers in Goa. Even though the Portuguese authorities did not wage a reprisal immeditaly mainly due to the opposition they were facing in India, later a direct order from the then King in Portugal. Subsequently a batalian lead by Dom Constantino left Portugal in 1558 with the aim of punishing the Jaffna King and his action.

According to the film maker this incident was brushed under the carpet mainly due to political reason, the incident is one of the most brutish action by the then political order and needs re investigating,

In a move to bring justice to those killed and their grand children who are now settled in the same area.

For the first time in Sri Lankan cinema history ‘Seeds” is planned to be released in all three languages.

The film is to be played by Shyam Fernando, Trey Hicks, Dharshan Dharmaraj, Nita Fernando, Niranjani Shanmugaraja, King Ratnam, Stephen Mark, Robert Siyera, Dinesh de Silva,

Dinesh de Silva, Senesh Bandara Dissanayake Kalpa Munasinghe and a large cast. Camera by Styner Adams, art direction is by Dhammika Hewaduwatte, make up by Buwaneka Ranawaka, editing and colour grading is to be done by Shan Alwis, sound mixing by Shashingimhan Pereram and production designing is by Suneth Malinga Lokuhewa.

Assisted by Priyantha Samarakone, production coordination is by Rev. Fr. Anthony Nishan and Ranjan Prasanna. Music direction is by Nadeeka Guruge and production executive is Rev. Fr. Prasad Harshan and the film is produced by Janaka Perera.