Lester’s films seen through Lester’s lenses

By K.S. Sivakumaran

In the world of international aesthetic cinema we have one lankan film maker who has withstood for several decades as an established world class Asian cinema innovator. He is, as we all know, Dr. Lester James Peries.

Along with Satyajit Ray of Bangla in India and Akira Kurusowa of Tokyo, Japan and also of the same place Ozu, Peries has been pioneer from the Asian continent of vintage fame to compete with the New Wave Directors of France like Francois Truffaut or the Italian Michael Angelo Antonioni or Swedish Ingamar Bergman – just to name a few – to emerge as someone to look forward to in producing different kind of films that had humanism as a base. They were different from those clever craftsmen across the Atlantic.

Lester James Peries therefore is an international celebrity that needs to be completely understood particularly by the rest of the Western world. To do this we need to write a complete biography to be written in at least in the English language.

There are a few books in Sinhala and English and one or two articles in Thamil to be understood by our local citizens. There are various interpretations on Lester as film maker by our own film critics, et al, in the calibre of the late Reggie Siriwardene, the late A. J. Gunawardene, the late Philip Cooray, the late Donald Abeysinghe, the late Tissa Abeysekera, the late Ajith Samaranayake, the late Gamini Haththotuwegama, the late Vernon Abeysekera and a few others who have written in English of the illustrious figure in his ’90s and his films. There are many more writing on him and his films in Sinhala and English.

But we must get the exact information from the horse’s mouth – Lester’s own estimation of his films. That is why ‘Lester by Lester – as told to Kumar de Silva’ gains a significant place in the library of Lester James Pieris Studies. This illuminating book was first published as early as April 2007 by one of the outstanding publishers in the country – Vijitha Yapa Publications. The 212-page book, which has a few photographs of some of Lester’s major films and other words, partly speaks about the growth of Lankan Sinhala cinema.  Besides the Introduction, Foreword, Publisher’s Note and Acknowledgement, information and critiques of Peris’s own films  beginning with Rekawa (1956), Sandeshaya,  Gamperaliya, Delovak  Athara, Ran Salu, Golu Hadawtha,  Akkara Paha,  Nidhanya,  Dessa Nisa, The God King,  Madal Duwa, Ahasin Polowata, Veera Puran Appu, Pinhamy,  Beddegama,  Kaliyugaya,  Awaragira,  Wekande Walauwwa,  and Ammawarune (2001) are succinctly analysed. There is also a filmography of Lester’s short films from 1949 to 1971.

The credits of all the films have been listed and this too would help the student of cinema to identify the past veterans in Sinhala Cinema of yore.

Listen also to what the Maestro says in his Foreword to the book about the enthusiastic Kumar de Silva - “…Kumar’s wise counsel prevailed. Excavating the past, when film making has been part of your life and that of Sumitra’s (editor of some of my best known films), has triggered off many pleasant and creatively important memories. Remembering them has been painful sometimes, but often deeply satisfying. A final word - if not for Kumar de Silva’s persistence over five long years this book would never have been published.”

The publisher Vijitha Yapa speaks about Lester thus: “He was famous but he was very humble. Popularity had not led to a swelling of his head. He was easily approachable, friendly and in no hurry to chase you out because he was busy. Since then, each film he made exposed the talent of an amazing film maker.”

Kumar de Silva, as everybody in the local media world knows, is an electronic and print media journalist proficient in both English and French. He is currently a Public Relations and Media Consultant and possesses a major degree in English and French. He worked for the Cultural Service of the Embassy of France in Colombo and became popular with his presentation of the very popular television programme ‘Bonsoir’. A versatile artiste at his comparatively young age, he was recently conferred with the honour of ‘Chevalier in the Order of Arts and Letters’ by the Government of France in recognition of his significant contribution to promoting French culture in Sri Lanka for more than quarter of a century.

Let me conclude this review with my own little appreciation of Lester James Peries. I wrote an article in the Daily News in the 1970s on ‘Money Making Thamil Cinema’. It was Lester on the phone congratulating me for my writing. And ever since then he encourages me to continue writing whenever he reads a piece of mine in the English press

When I attended the International Film Festival of India in Kolkatta, I felt sick with an upset stomach eating too much sugary items for which the Banglas were famous for. Staying in the same hotel as Lester and Sumithra were, I came to be noticed by them and they were very concerned about my poor health condition. I could see the humane qualities of both of them in trying to comfort me.  

Lester and Sumitra too brought fame and laurels to Lanka. I bow and salute Lester on his 94th birthday which fell on Friday 5 April, and wish him all good health.

(The writer can be reached via [email protected].)