GEHENU LAMAI

Set in rural Sri Lanka, Sumitra Peries’ debut film is a delicate, poetic film that tells the heartbreaking tale of two sisters whose dreams and aspirations come to nought in the face of insurmountable class barriers. Kusum, a dutiful girl falls in love with Nimal, an upper class boy, in whose house she works. Nimal’s mother is outraged when she finds out about the relationship as Kusum belongs to a lower class and sacks her, leading to Kusum breaking off all contact with Nimal. Her happy-go-lucky sister Soma’s dreams of becoming a beauty queen are shattered when she becomes pregnant and has an illegitimate child. The film is a lyrical exploration of the end of innocence and romantic dreams of two young girls crushed by the heavy hand of tradition and patriarchy.