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Friday 27 May 2016

First Teacher's song

Your film was very impressive and I was very touched by the way you translated the simplicity of the life in Kazakhstan to the scenes in Nepal using Sri Lankan actors. I believe you have chosen the right people to represent the main parts and you touched upon everything what is important in life   - dejection, sadness, aggression, friendship, hope, love and using a wonderful scenery as a background. 

Although I felt that you tried to show the feeling of love between the two characters not as one which is develops out of admiration but instead as a love at first sight. Maybe this is the Sri Lankan way?!

I liked also the scene at the station when everyone understands that he reciprocates her love by letting her go   her own way and giving her the opportunity to live a fulfilled and self determined live. 
 
What I was missing though was the wonderful book ending to show the reconciliation with faith, when she, a successful lady, returned to the village and avoids shyly her first teacher and love - but decides to write the story and poignantly states her will to reconcile. (not only with her first love but also to apologize for taking credit - where credit was due to the ones who earned it - namely him - (I believe this could be an example to politicians and other people in Sri Lanka when they take credit for things accomplished by others.

I also felt that your character of the girl at 15  seemed to be portrait as a frail, vulnerable and weak  (overwhelming sobbing - which for me spoiled the last 20 min of the film) but in the book she is a much stronger willed girl, who was eager to learn and looking for her own freedom . Assuming that your  target audience consists of a mixture of young and old Sri Lankan people  - the character of the girl could have been a perfect example  for Sir Lankan women to overcome the male dominated society and to be able to find their own way in life!

I wish in your next movie you choose a story as beautiful as this one but also that you could bring about a modern context to it regarding relatable  issues among the people in the modern society (including Sri Lanka). Looking forward to your next movie!

I loved the way you used instead of the unfinished painting an unfinished piece of music script as a frame for the story - what a brilliant idea!

Ines baumann

(This is review about the Sinhala film Guru Githaya)