2014 Sri Lankan film
| 28 | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Prasanna Jayakody |
| Written by | Prasanna Jayakody |
| Produced by | Rashitha Jinasena |
| Starring | Mahendra Perera Semini Iddamalgoda Rukmal Nirosh |
| Cinematography | Chandana Jayasinghe |
| Edited by | Aasim Tiger |
| Music by | Dheshaka Bamunumulla |
| Distributed by | Mountain River Films |
| Release dates |
|
| Country | Sri Lanka |
| Language | Sinhala |
28 is a 2014 Sri Lankan feature drama film directed and produced by Prasanna Jayakody. The film starred by Mahendra Perera and Semini Iddamalgoda in lead roles along with Rukmal Nirosh, Sarath Kothalawala. 28 revolves how three men transport the body of a woman, who was raped and murdered, in an old van. One of the men will find out that the woman is his estranged wife. The film name is given considering that the average menstrual cycle of a woman is around 28 Days. (Which is also equal for the moon to complete one full orbit around earth).
The film premiered at the International Film Festival Rotterdam on January 24, 2014, and was released officially in Sri Lanka on 2 June 2017 in CEL Theatres. It is the 1279th Sri Lankan film in the Sinhala cinema.
Plot
In a country where sexuality has become a vulgarity, a man sees his wife nude for the first time as she lay dead after she was sexually assaulted on a mortuary table and then struggles emotionally, to at least claim as his own, the merest part of her body.
Lenin is livid that he has been tricked into transporting a dead body but, seeing the dead Suddhi's torso he agrees unconditionally to transport her body back to the village. When the coffin arrives, the villagers already know how Suddhi died through newspaper reports and rumors resulting in Abasiri's humiliation in front of them.
Suddhi addresses the mourners at her own funeral stating that she is now bereft of fear and censure since she is dead and provides telling and powerful testimony on behalf of all women.
Cast
- Mahendra Perera as Abasiri
- Rukmal Nirosh as Mani
- Semini Iddamalgoda as Suddi
- Sarath Kothalawala as Lenin
- Daya Thennakoon as Ukku Banda
- Sisira Kadikara
- Nilmini Kottegoda
- Priyantha Prabath
- Ariyaratne Perera
Awards
The film was screened at the Rotterdam International Film Festival in the Netherlands. It won the NETPAC Jury Award for Best Film. Mahendra Perera and Prasanna Jayakody nominated for two Asia Pacific Screen Awards for Best Performance by an Actor and Best Screenplay respectively.
| Award | Category | Recipient(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rotterdam International Film Festival | NETPAC Jury Award | Prasanna Jayakody | Won |
| Asia Pacific Screen Award | Best Screenplay | Prasanna Jayakody | Nominated |
| Best Performance by an actor | Mahendra Perera | Nominated | |
| Derana Film Awards 2018 | Best Director | Prasanna Jayakody | Won |
| Best Film | Prasanna Jayakody | Won | |
| Best Actor | Mahendra Perera | Nominated | |
| Best Script | Prasanna Jayakody | Won | |
| Best Actor in a supporting role | Sarath Kothalawala | Nominated |
Reception
28 was met by mostly positive reviews. Jury of the Rotterdam International Film Festival mentioned that “a well-measured and crafted film that emotionally engages the audience through poetic storytelling of a critical subject.”
References
- "28 released tomorrow - 28 හෙට එයි". Sarasaviya. Archived from the original on 5 June 2017. Retrieved 11 June 2017.
- "Sri Lankan screened films". Sarasaviya. Archived from the original on 20 July 2017. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
- "Twenty Eight Film". National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 11 June 2017.
- "Rukmal Nirosh in Twenty Eight Film - 28 සමඟ යළි එන රුක්මල් නිරෝෂ්". Sarasaviya. Archived from the original on 18 July 2017. Retrieved 11 June 2017.
- "Semini Iddamalgoda in Twenty Eight Film - සුද්දි ගැන ඔබ දැනගත යුතුමයි". Sarasaviya. Archived from the original on 16 June 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
- Jayakody, Prasanna (24 January 2014). "28".
- "28 THRILLER". Ceylon Theatres. Archived from the original on 29 May 2017. Retrieved 11 June 2017.
- "Way to Theatre - 28 - තිරයට ආ හැටි". Sarasaviya. Archived from the original on 18 July 2017. Retrieved 11 June 2017.
- "Sri Lanka Cinema History". National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 23 August 2016. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
- "A victorious journey on '28-Sri' | The Sundaytimes Sri Lanka". www.sundaytimes.lk.
- "Much awaited cinematic creation on CEL circuit | The Sunday Times Sri Lanka". www.sundaytimes.lk.
- "Prasanna's '28' brings Lanka into limelight | The Sunday Times Sri Lanka". www.sundaytimes.lk.
- "Review of 28 "සුද්දීට අහිමි වූ සුද්දී" "විසි අට" සිනමා විමසුම". Sarasaviya. Archived from the original on 19 June 2017. Retrieved 18 June 2017.