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Lankan military uniform, both of which
Pushpakumara denies. According to BBC and Associated Press reports, the Sri Lankan police are currently conducting a "fact-finding investigation" into the film and have questioned its cast and production crew. Local Sinhala news sources reported that even Pushpakumara's mother, who prepared meals for the cast and crew during the filming, has been questioned by authorities. Sri Lanka's Free Media Movement has been variously cited as criticizing both the censorship of the film and this investigation, stating that they represented the government's desire to "militarise arts and culture." There is, however, no trace of such a statement emanating from the organization.
359:"Flying Fish offers an extraordinary journey to the heart of Sri Lankan darkness with no less vivid, sensual images. Set during the 25-year civil war that convulsed Sri Lanka, Pushpakumara's remarkable debut draws on his own experience growing up in a remote village, where ordinary lives were degraded by the struggle between Tamil Tigers and government forces (shown as equally brutal). Recurrent close-up images of exotic insects and landscapes of startling beauty intersperse scenes of sexual exploitation, making this a far from comfortable films to watch. But there's no denying its impassioned originality." —
31:
257:
vendor. She also becomes involved in an affair with a young man who owns a shop in the village. Her eldest son is in his first year of high school. To support the family, he works in the local fish market selling fish. Meanwhile, he falls in love with a girl at his school. He is humiliated when their
371:
The film made its Sri Lankan premiere in
Colombo on 11 July 2013, despite having been initially released in 2011. The film sparked immediate controversy, leading the government to ban it. The government claims that the film "insults the security forces" and that it illegally used images of the Sri
231:
village woman falls in love with an army soldier and becomes pregnant. The couple attempts to abort the child but fails. While they are making love in the ruins of an abandoned building, her father sees them. While he does not confront her about what he has seen, the scene haunts him continuously.
279:
state and justifying their war against the
Sinhala-dominated southern government army. One night, the L.T.T.E. forcibly enter the Tamil girl's house and demand a sum of money that the family can scarcely afford. They threaten to conscript the girl if her family fails to pay the money. On the night
236:
to protect the village border. Among these recruits is her father, who is punished and humiliated by the soldiers from her lover's platoon for not being on guard one day. Demoralized, he shoots himself inside an empty bunker. Meanwhile, the soldier and his platoon receive a transfer to a distant
270:
schoolgirl experiences her first menstrual period while in a bus on her way home after school. This is revealed when an army soldier subjects her to a security check at an army-controlled roadblock. Her father is a clerk and her mother is a housewife; they live in a rural village in
258:
relationship is revealed to the school. Meanwhile, rumors spread about his mother's affair. One day, the boy sees his mother having sexual intercourse with her lover in a broken house. The enraged boy stabs his mother in front of his siblings the same evening.
196:(IFFR). The film made its world premiere on 28 January 2011, as part of the Rotterdam festival's Tiger Awards Competition. The film has been noted for its political value, beautiful cinematography, long takes, and shocking violence.
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that her parents are supposed to pay the demanded money, the child slips away from the house just as the L.T.T.E visit them. Since the L.T.T.E. get neither the money nor the girl, they gun down her parents.
353:"...stories filled with rage, suffering, sexual abandon and calamity, but the director films them with cool detachment... A work of remarkable restraint. Sri Lankan Cinema has found its true modernist" —
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275:, where the war between the state army and the L.T.T.E. has been intensifying. The Tamil Tigers secretly conduct their propaganda lectures in schools, demanding a separate
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posting, leaving the woman in great agony. Tortured by her father's suicide and her rage at the soldier who leaves her pregnant, she flees the village.
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On 17 February 2022, the press release of the film was held at the Savoy
Premier Cinema and announced that the film will screened in theatres again.
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347:"The film Is scrupulously non-partisan, deeply humane, sexually candid, coolly modernist in style and almost indecently beautiful." —
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Special Jury
Mention for Red Chameleon Award, 5th CinDi IFF aka Cinema Digital International Film Festival, Seoul, South Korea
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A recently widowed
Sinhalese woman lives with her eight children in a remote village where the armed tension between the
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Cinematek (The
Belgian Royal Film archive)- Brussels, 1–14 July 2011 for L’Age d’or prize and the Cinédécouvertes Prizes
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Best
Director Award, New Territories Competition / St.Petersburg International Film Festival- KINOFORUM 2011
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Museum of Modern Art (aka MoMA) – New York, USA – 7–13 July 2011 – Under
Contemporary Asian Cinema Series.
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5th CinDi IFF aka Cinema
Digital International Film Festival, 17 to 23 August 2011, Seoul, South Korea
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Blue Chameleon Award, 5th CinDi IFF aka Cinema Digital International Film Festival, Seoul, South Korea
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Australian Cinematheque – Change : Path Through 20 Years of Film, 8 March 2013, Queensland
964:"Seattle International Film Festival Closing Weekend: Shocking Sex and Violence in Flying Fish"
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4th Bengaluru International Film Festival, 15–22 December 2011, Bangalore, (Asian Competition)
30:
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52nd Thessaloniki International Film Festival, 4–13 November 2011, New Horizon section, Greece
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18th The Prague International Film Festival Febiofest, 24 March-1 April 2012, Czech Republic
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Silesian Film Award (Nominated) / Ars Independent International Film Festival 2011 Katowice
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40th Rotterdam International Film Festival – the Netherlands 26 January-6 February 2011
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30th Vancouver International Film Festival – 29 September – 14 October 2011, Canada
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2nd St. Petersburg IFF (aka Kino Forum), St. Petersburg, Russia – 10–15 July 2011.
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985:"St. Petersburg Kinoforum Selects 'Best of the Best' for Competition Lineup"
733:"'New Territories' competition program will be a challenge for the audience"
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42nd International Film Festival – Goa, 23 November – 3 December 2011, India
151:
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Pesaro International Film Festival (Mostra Internazionale de Nuova Cinema)
215:
The film weaves together three narratives set against the backdrop of the
911:
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11th Indie World Film Festival, 1 –29 September September, 2011, Brazil.
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Best Asian Cinematographer 2011(Nominated), Asian Film Awards, Hong Kong
387:
Best Asian Film, NETPAC award, 4th Bengaluru International Film Festival
697:, St. Petersburg International Film Festival – KINOFORUM, 16 July 2011
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Annual South Asia conference in Madison, 17–20 October 2012, Wisconsin.
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15th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, 16 to 30 November 2011,Estonia
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3rd i San Francisco South Asian Film Festival, 9–13 November 2011, USA.
742:, St. Petersburg International Film Festival "KINOFORUM", 24 June 2011
732:
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The film draws on stories from the director's life in his hometown of
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695:"Awards ceremony at the 2nd Saint Petersburg International Kinoforum"
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10th Pune International Film Festival 12–19 January 2012, Pune, India
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1st Ars International Film Festival Katowich, Poland, 15–19 June 2011
418:
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Film banned by Sri Lankan Government in Sri Lanka and internationally
753:"Rotterdam Unleashes List of Fourteen Tiger Award Competition Films"
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5th Samsung Women International Film Festival, 14–21 July 2012,India
399:
Critic's Choice Award, 5th New Jersey South Asian Film Festival, USA
904:
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Review, 5th Cinema Digital Seoul Film Festival (page 46-47), 2011.
572:"Hubert Bals Fund supports 24 film projects in thirteen countries"
481:
47th Chicago IFF, Chicago, USA – 6–20 October 2011 – World Cinema.
766:"Complete Tiger Awards Competition Announced For Rotterdam 2011"
254:
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2nd Indian Film Festival, 11–22 June 2012, Melbourne, Australia
232:
As the war intensifies, adult villagers are recruited into the
484:
New Jersey South Asian Film Festival, 21–23 October 2011, USA
806:, 47a Mostra Internazionale del Nuovo Cinema, 19–27 June 2011
478:
Hawaii International Film Festival, 13–23 October 2011, USA.
1052:"Amid War, Fierce Adversaries of the Creepy-Crawly Variety"
825:, Ars Independent International Film Festival 2011 Katowice
785:"SIFF Announces Film Competition Lineups For 2011 Festival"
526:
La Ciematheque ( Special screening), 1 January 2013, France
609:"Flying Fish - 2011 Vancouver International Film Festival"
408:
Golden Montgolfier Award (Nominated),34th 3 continents IFF
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Cinematek: Âge d'or / Cinédécouvertes (Brussels, Belgium)
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MoMA: ContemporAsian Film Exhibition (New York City, USA)
532:
16th Guanajuato International Film Festival, Mexico, 2013
496:
12th TOKYO FILMeX IFF, 19–27 November 2011, Tokyo, Japan.
1080:
2011 International Film Festival Rotterdam (Netherlands)
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34th 3continents IFF, 22–29 November 2011 Nantes France.
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escalates. Stricken with extreme poverty, she becomes a
475:
London Film Festival (LBF) – 13–28 October 2011, London
448:
37th Seattle IFF, Seattle, USA – 19 May – 12 June 2011.
343:, to name some, below are excerpts from their reviews:
335:
has been highly praised by renowned film personalities
511:
36th Hong Kong IFF, Hong Kong, 21 March – 5 April 2012
794:, Seattle International Film Festival, 28 April 2011
188:. It was produced with the financial support of the
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37:
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51:Sanjeewa Pushpakumara & Chinthana Dharamadasa
1112:St. Petersburg International Film Forum (Russia)
1095:Ars Independent International (Katowice, Poland)
708:"Black Blood, A Separation triumph at Kinoforum"
598:, Interview with Director Sanjeewa Pushpakumara
1085:2011 Seattle International Film Festival (USA)
435:Asia Pacific Screening Awards (In Competition)
67:Manohan Nanyakkara & Sanjeewa Pushpakumara
586:, International Film Festival Rotterdam, 2011
574:, International Film Festival Rotterdam, 2011
429:Fipresci Award (Nominated) 36th Hong Kong IFF
8:
974:"Did you miss a SIFF movie? Here's a recap"
931:http://www.films.lk/FilmDetails.php?id=2043
432:SIGNIS Award (Nominated) 36th Hong Kong IFF
29:
20:
551:"Sanjeewa flies high with 'Flying Fish'"
454:47th Pesaro IFF, Italy – 19–27 June 2011
996:"Paradijselijk landschap met littekens"
542:
426:Best Film (Nominated) Tokyo FILMeX IFF
417:Lino Miccichè Award (Nominated) / 47th
411:New Directors Award (Nominated) / 37th
836:"'Flying Fish' to go round the world"
596:"Tiger Awards Spotlight: Flying Fish"
404:International Film Festival Rotterdam
194:International Film Festival Rotterdam
7:
1147:Films about the Sri Lankan Civil War
951:Tiger Awards Spotlight: Flying Fish
879:"Another feather for 'Flying Fish'"
413:Seattle International Film Festival
14:
1107:47th Pesaro Film Festival (Italy)
936:Sanjeewa Pushpakumara profile on
184:directed by Sri Lankan filmmaker
983:David Morgan and Kevin Cassidy,
858:"'Flying Fish' picks more wings"
1157:Tamil-language Sri Lankan films
1063:"Flying Fish (Igillena maluwo)"
1031:"Flying Fish (capsule summary)"
804:"Pesaro New Cinema Competition"
402:Tiger Award (Nominated) / 40th
1025:Rotterdam Vandaag & Morgen
1007:Rotterdam Vandaag & Morgen
1:
1074:Film festivals and screenings
721:"Sanjeewa wins Best Director"
1137:2010s Sinhala-language films
755:, indieWIRE, 10 January 2011
723:, Daily Mirror, 17 July 2011
710:, Screen Daily, 16 July 2011
670:"Flying fish soon on screen"
109:Tharindu Priyankara de Silva
584:"Profile: Hubert Bals Fund"
1173:
1152:2010s Tamil-language films
1014:"Verkiezing Jonge Tijgers"
297:Chaminda Sampath Jayaweera
81:Chaminda Sampath Jayaweera
328:Reception and controversy
251:L.T.T.E., or Tamil Tigers
122:28 January 2011
28:
775:, Twitch, 9 January 2011
1142:Films shot in Sri Lanka
945:Interview with director
93:Vishwajith Karunarathna
323:Mohammed Ali Rajabdeen
177:
1100:26 March 2012 at the
1019:26 March 2012 at the
1001:26 March 2012 at the
968:Thompson on Hollywood
821:26 March 2012 at the
816:"IFF Ars Independent"
719:Susitha R. Fernando,
294:Rathnayaka Marasinghe
186:Sanjeewa Pushpakumara
79:Rathnayaka Marasinghe
59:Sanjeewa Pushpakumara
42:Sanjeewa Pushpakumara
751:Bryce J. Renninger,
317:Thissa Bandaranayaka
308:Sanjeewa Dissanayake
217:Sri Lankan Civil War
18:2011 Sri Lankan film
1012:Ronald Glasbergen,
994:Ronald Glasbergen,
644:""Sight and Sound""
234:civil defense force
203:, Sri Lanka, where
1056:The New York Times
989:Hollywood Reporter
790:2012-09-16 at the
771:2011-08-13 at the
738:2011-07-13 at the
676:. 23 February 2022
314:Nilanka Dahanayake
290:Kaushalya Fernando
223:Wasana and Soldier
76:Kaushalya Fernando
1067:The Village Voice
1061:Benjamin Mercer,
1047:, 6 February 2011
1027:, 5 February 2011
1009:, 30 January 2011
650:on 9 October 2011
311:Sumathy Sivamohan
273:Eastern Sri Lanka
165:
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161:Sinhala and Tamil
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962:Meredith Brody,
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905:Official website
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320:Wasanthi Ranwala
190:Hubert Bals Fund
130: (Rotterdam)
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101:Ajith Ramanayake
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1003:Wayback Machine
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938:Festival Scope
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897:External links
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182:anthology film
178:ඉගිල්ලෙන මලුවො
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615:on 2 May 2012
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361:Ian Christie
341:Ian Christie
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180:) is a 2011
168:
167:
166:
139:Running time
115:Release date
15:
924:Flying Fish
913:Flying Fish
884:31 December
863:30 December
842:29 December
680:24 February
654:28 November
619:28 November
557:30 December
333:Flying Fish
277:Tamil Eelam
205:Flying Fish
201:Trincomalee
169:Flying Fish
143:119 minutes
64:Produced by
38:Directed by
24:Flying Fish
1132:2011 films
1126:Categories
537:References
355:Tony Rayns
349:Tony Rayns
337:Tony Rayns
262:Tamil Girl
207:was shot.
126:2011-01-28
440:Festivals
229:Sinhalese
158:Languages
152:Sri Lanka
98:Edited by
1098:Archived
1017:Archived
999:Archived
819:Archived
788:Archived
769:Archived
736:Archived
249:and the
227:A young
211:Synopsis
106:Music by
72:Starring
56:Story by
1045:Variety
957:Reviews
926:on MUBI
192:of the
174:Sinhala
148:Country
124: (
674:සරසවිය
379:Awards
268:Tamil
918:IMDb
886:2019
865:2019
844:2019
682:2022
656:2011
621:2011
559:2019
339:and
284:Cast
255:curd
916:at
1128::
1065:,
1054:,
1043:,
1033:,
1023:,
1005:,
987:,
976:,
966:,
672:.
266:A
219:.
176::
888:.
867:.
846:.
684:.
658:.
623:.
561:.
172:(
128:)
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