Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
Film production in Sri Lanka is exceptionally prolific and diverse. It has produced many more films than most other Commonwealth nations, despite this being a developing country that has seen many years of internal conflict. This is the first English language book to explore the extent of the vibrant but overlooked cinema of Sri Lanka. Written by two of the leading experts in the field, it takes a close look at individual films, while also explaining their wider contexts. Authors Ian Conrich and Vilasnee Tampoe-Hautin discuss Sinhalese and Tamil film; the influences of both Bollywood and Hollywood; popular cinema vs. art cinema; state regulation and control; cinema exhibition and distribution; cinema culture and consumption; fiction and documentary films. A range of relevant social, cultural, historical, and political issues are introduced, as key films are analysed in relation to regionalism and globalisation, postcolonialism, sexuality and gender. The Cinema of Sri Lanka is a pioneering book which fills a major gap in Asian film studies.