Movie on Sri Lanka war premieres at Oslo Film Festival

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 20 November 2002, 02:33 GMT]
“In the name of Buddha,” a movie based on the war in Sri Lanka, centering on the experiences of a Tamil youth and his family, premiered at the 12th Oslo Film Festival on 17 November. The film shot in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and United Kingdom was well attended and received wide acclaim, attendees to the film festival said.

“It is a strong and gripping drama, with the war on Sri Lanka as a constant central element. The film depicts ordinary people and terrible happenings outside their control. The previously peaceful island in the Indian Ocean has for the last twenty years been the stage for an enormous human tragedy. More than 900,000 have fled the country since 1983. More than 60,000 have lost their lives.

“In The Name Of Buddha is about the Tamil Siva, forced to escape his home country and become a refugee in Great Britain. The film depicts his and his family’s experiences concerning human rights and random violence, a result of a conflict where violence only begets new violence. Local freedom fighters, the Sri Lankan army and Indian peacekeepers all play their parts of this grotesque predicament, and the vicious circle can only be solved by a genuine will for peace, independent of race and religion.

”With its spectacular images, great music and strong scenes, this feature film is a topical cry for peace,” says a writeup on the film posted on the film-festival website.



Rajesh Touchriver, 30, an experienced director, said at the question and answer session at the end of the screening of the movie that he hopes the authorities in India and Sri Lanka do not react adversely to the movie and the producers hope the movie contributes positively to the current peace process.

The website www.inthenameofbuddha.com contains additional information on the movie.