Guru Geethaya
Guru Geethaya (transl. The teacher's song; Sinhala: ගුරු ගීතය) is a 2015 Sri Lankan Sinhala-language drama film based on Chinghiz Aitmatov's novel, The First Teacher (1962). The film was directed by Upali Gamlath and produced by Predi Seneviratne, Upali Gamlath and Damayanthi Fonseka.[1] It stars Roshan Ravindra, Damayanthi Fonseka, Lanka Bandaranayeke and Kalpani Jayasinghe.
Guru Geethaya | |
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Theatrical Poster in Australian Film Premiere | |
Sinhala | ගුරු ගීතය |
Directed by | Upali Gamlath |
Produced by | Predi Seneviratne Upali Gamlath Damayanthi Fonseka |
Written by | Upali Gamlath |
Based on | The First Teacher by Chinghiz Aitmatov |
Starring | Roshan Ravindra Damayanthi Fonseka Lanka Bandaranayeke Kalpani Jayasinghe |
Music by | Lelum Rathnayeke |
Cinematography | Kavinda Ranaweera |
Edited by | Upali Gamlath |
Production company | Moonstone movie pvt ltd |
Distributed by | Moonstone movie pvt ltd |
Running time | 100 min |
Country | Sri Lanka |
Language | Sinhala |
Plot
The action takes place in the years from 1924 all the way to the early 1950s in the Kukureu village of the Kyrgyz Soviet Socialist Republic, which is now Kyrgyzstan. The Russian Civil War ended not so long ago. Young Komsomol member and a former Red Army soldier Dyuyshen comes to the village as the new teacher of the village. His enthusiasm to bring new ideas immediately faces a centuries-old tradition of life in Central Asia. The former soldier tries to improve literacy to this far Moslem area while villagers didn't allow gỉrls to attend school. He then met Altynai, a 15-year-old illiterate girl who has a burning desire to study, but her aunt sells her to a powerful and wealthy chieftain. Then school is burned down and is rebuilt using centuries old trees, being a pride to the local population.[2]
Cast
- Roshan Ravindra
- Kalpani Jayasinghe
- Gamini Hettiarachchi
- Hyacinth Wijeratne
- Lakruwan Vithanage
- Wunga Karma
- Damayanthi Fonseka
- String Thamang
- Lanka Bandaranayeke
- Aneetha Gurung
- Subuddhi Lakmali
- Wasanthi Ranwala
- Dolkar Gurung
Production
The film was scheduled to shoot in 4 countries respectively Sri Lanka, Nepal, India and Russia. This was filmed in the scenic village of Mannag in the Himalaya mountain range in Nepal and in the highest altitude on Mount Everest.
Release
The film still has not been set for release in Sri Lanka. It was released as a premiere in 2015 November 29 in Melbourne, Australia as an aid of Piyapath Scholarship Program.[4] It has been selected to premiere in Eurasia International Film Festival held from September 24 to 30 in Kazakhstan.[5]
References
- "Guru Geethaya - National Film Corporation". www.nfc.gov.lk.
- "eLanka | Sinhala Movie - Guru Geethaya - eLanka". elanka.com.au.
- Thilakasiri, Sameera (1 September 2012). "Guru Geethaya sinhala film by Upali Gamlath". Sandeshaya dedicated to Sri Lankan Sinhala films, movies, cinema...
- "eLanka | MOVIE GURU GEETHAYA - eLanka". elanka.com.au.
- "GURU GEETHAYA WORLD PREMIERE IN KAZAKHSTAN : mirrorcitizen.lk".