National Conference on Sinhala Studies (NCSS)
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Item An Inquiry into Whether Documentary Filmmaking Can Be Considered an Approach to Feature Cinema Within the Context of the Cinematic Tradition of Lester James Peries(Department of Sinhala, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya Sri Lanka, 2023) Abeysinghe, A.M.T.D.Lester, who is considered a leading influence in shaping the course of local cinema, is one of the individuals who explored Sri Lankan themes in early documentary filmmaking within the country. This is evident through his contributions as an assistant director under Ralph Keane in the Government Film Unit, particularly in films like "Heritage of Lanka" (1951) and "Nelumgama" (1934). Lester's films, "Conquest in the Dry Zone" (1954) and "Be Safe or Be Sorry" (1955), ventured outdoors and embraced shooting in natural sunlight. This study aims to investigate whether Lester's documentary filmmaking approach served as a precursor to his feature films as part of the cinematic tradition of Lester James Peries. The research methodology involves a comparative analysis of how rural life and the environment were portrayed in Lester's documentaries produced for the government film unit before he embarked on making feature films. The parallels between his first feature film, "Rekhava" (1956), and the documentaries created prior to it align with Lester's assertion that his technical skills acquired under Ralph Keane's guidance, coupled with his own observations and understanding of the authentic Sri Lankan society, paved the way for locally-rooted feature filmmaking. Ultimately, this study reveals that despite Lester's upbringing in a more standard, Westernised society in the capital, he was able to create feature films that authentically represented the environment and people's lives in Sri Lanka, thanks to his technical expertise in documentary filmmaking and his in-depth knowledge gained from analysing the subjects within his documentaries.Item A Study of the Use of Picture Postcards(Department of Sinhala, Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya Sri Lanka, 2023) Abeysinghe, A.M.T.D.Being a social being, man is constantly in relationships with others. From the time when the media did not proliferate, maintaining relationships by exchanging cards with friends can be widely identified. Picture postcards, which were popular for a period of one and a half centuries from the beginning of British colonial rule, are far from being used today. The purpose of this study is to find out why this visual medium, which carried Sri Lanka's archaeological value, contemporary culture, people's lives and environment abroad, has been lost in today's society. Although there is a trend in exchanging cards in modern man, the problem of losing the use of picture postcards and whether this visual media can be socialised in a new dimension with modern technology are examined here. In this study, 200 respondents were surveyed through a questionnaire in order to investigate the current social trend towards the use of picture postcards and to identify the interest of the users for the same. The collected data from the questionnaire given to a selected sample was analysed separately with the variable of living area, age, and gender dynamics, and it was possible to identify the opportunities for the use of picture postcards nowadays where the use of photos is widespread and active human relationships are abundant. According to the responses, it was found that there is a greater demand for handmade designs in the Sri Lankan community. Contemporary environment and cultural identities should be taken into account more when uploading photos, while photos of ordinary people and small children are found to appear more realistic. It was also revealed that there is a willingness to use soft copies of picture postcards, which are available free of charge.