Skip to main content

I might be the first, and the second

That is, the first "Sri Lankan-American" or US filmmaker from a Sri Lankan background to make & release/screen a feature length fiction film in America. I screened my feature comedy Wild Diner (an '05 review of the film by Amir Motlagh here, and there's also a Washington Post article & a City Paper review from '99 out there) for a week in DC in mid-'99, followed by several one night only screenings in several venues during the following months.

According to this Wikipedia entry, immigration from Sri Lanka to the US did not happen to any significant degree until the mid-'70's. Even now the number of Sri Lankans/Sri Lankan-Americans in the US is relatively small I think (i am not sure what it is, probably not even half a million, probably not even a quarter of a million). Out of that small group only a few have pursued careers in the arts & entertainment, let alone filmmaking, as far as I know.

Recently I finished a one week run & the 20th screening of my second fiction feature, Date Number One (2006), in the US (screened so far in NYC, Seattle, DC, & a couple of MD cities). DNO might be the second US fiction feature made by a director from a Sri Lankan background (and in my case, actually from Sri Lanka, I immigrated in the mid-'80's, as a young teen), after Wild Diner. Soon/hopefully in early August the DVD of DNO will be available (and at some point in the near future Wild Diner & other earlier works will be available on DVD also - not sure if anyone really wants to see that stuff, but it'll be available :). Anyway, I have not heard of any other US based filmmakers with a Sri Lankan background making and or releasing fiction features. Ever. Never in the relatively brief (compared to the 2,000+ years old Sri Lanka) history of the US.

So, it is quite possible that I am number 1 or 2, or at the worst in the top 5 for "filmmakers from a Sri Lankan background who made & released/screened a fiction feature in America" :) A little obscure factoid for us to break out in like maybe 50 years or so :) Maybe sooner.

Of course the "1st widely/Hollywood level released fiction feature by a US filmmaker/director from a Sri Lankan background" title is not claimed yet. I guess something for me to work towards, possibly :)

- Sujewa

Christmas Eve controversial, fun discussion - 1 of the best American indie filmmakers - Amir Motlagh

Inside the Arthouse ep 2

Full Movie - SNEAK PREVIEW - Cosmic Disco Detective Rene And The Mystery Of Immortal Time Travelers

NEW - COSMIC DISCO DETECTIVE RENE (2023) - TRAILER!

The Secret Society For Slow Romance (2022) - available to rent as a new release starting January 1

Werewolf Ninja Philosopher at Vimeo VOD

Popular Posts

Indie film news 6/23/25 - 53 Spaceships teaser trailer + GoFundMe, Andor discussion at YPA Reviews, IndieSeen - Friendship movie + Cannes, Inside the Arthouse latest

    *     *     *   From 53 Spaceships new teaser YouTube page - " Help finish and release this movie (long term/1 year goal is 100 million views on YouTube, after theatrical screenings, VOD, physical media availability) - donate to the project and get your name in the Special Thanks section, get invites to screenings, and get early VOD availability notices, thanks! :) - https://www.gofundme.com/f/53spaceships "

Epic new no dialogue teaser/intro trailer for 53 Spaceships (2025) sci-fi movie

 

Introduce us to your favorite painters & paintings.

There's a PBS (i think) show on French painters right now. Other, older, forms of art, & the people who made them, can be inspirational & useful for filmmakers I think. I've learned a lot from indie rock (some aesthetic stuff, lots of bidness stuff), maybe I can learn stuff from painting too. So in July & August I am going to blog about painters & I would like you to comment & tell us about your favorite painters & other interesting stuff about painting. Painting is thousands of years old. Filmmaking is a little over 100 years old. US Indie filmmaking as we know it is perhaps a little over 50 years old (w/ the beginning somewhere around the time when the Cassavetes generation got its inspiration/started work). Us new indie filmmakers - the digital/web/DIY generation, can probably learn a lot by taking a look at/getting to know, painting & other older art forms. I'll start w/ Edward Hopper . Here's page w/ a lot of info on him. His most famou...

Reading Material

Indie Film Blogger Road Trip