Sudath Mahadiulwewa, with his new film My Red Comrade has broken a lull of nineteen years.
Watching the film one feels that he has not been idling during these 19 years, for, the rich theatre experience that the film gives us, is no doubt the result of his long and serious involvement with research into all aspects of film production during this period.
It is truly amazing how the director of the film has managed to create a powerful cinematic experience using a minimum of resources. There are only two characters (yes, just two!) and their interaction takes place within the restricted space of one locality – the room of the male protagonist and the action happens within the time space of 90 minutes. As an experimental film, its success is obvious.
The film is set against the backdrop of incessant rain – at times torrential with thunder and lightning, and at times a drizzle. The film begins amidst lightning and thunder and through the pouring rain, we get our first glimpse of the thoroughly drenched female protagonist running frantically to escape her pursuers, the soldiers.
The rain obstructs the ‘search’ and ‘chase’ of the soldiers whilst it provides some hope of escape for the girl. We in the audience experience acute tension each time there is a ‘near-capture’. When her capture seems imminent, the timely arrival of a train cuts off pursuit, enabling her to squeeze her way in through an open doorway of a small hut/room.
The occupant of the room, ‘He’ (the protagonists are not named within the film for a special reason) the male protagonist, is reading a book with his back to the door and seems unaware of the intrusion of the girl, bare footed and wearing a red dress. When the soldiers bang on his door to ask whether he saw a girl, he says no. We are not sure, at this stage, whether or not this is true. It is only later that we realize that the He had seen the soldiers’ chase and deliberately left the door open.
The action moves forward at a fast pace with never a dull moment – which in itself is unbelievable, given the aforementioned restriction of time, space and persons. This is due to the script itself but even more because of the brilliant performances of the two main characters.
The role of the girl, ‘She’, played by Tharndi Fernando is particularly outstanding. From the moment she enters the film, running, she never stops moving, physically - hiding, talking, laughing, dancing, stepping in/out and this contributes significantly to the fast pace of the film. Her highly volatile facial expressions depicting her inner thoughts and emotions, also contributed to the pace and richness of the experience.
Her counterpart ‘He’ played by the Non-Actor Asiri Ellege, who looks the part, presents a counter-balance, a subdued portrayal befitting his role as a mature (in years) intellectual revolutionary who is committed to his ‘cause’. He is full of theoretical knowledge but is lacking in essential human values, which She has in abundance. She proceeds to ‘humanise’ him through the universal truths she utters, leading to a mutual understanding and real camaraderie.
The dialogues are a crucial element in the film. Not only do they carry the content/message, but they also create powerful visual images in our minds that more than compensate for the lack of the usual visuals of other films. Sound effects evoke the background, creating the required atmosphere.
As to how the camera expert managed to avoid monotony in such a restricted space speaks volumes for his versatility. The use of verbal imagery and symbolism, present in a subtle but meaningful way, add to the total cinematic experience. All in all, My Red Comrade is not a film to be missed.
M.L.P.
