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Circles of Violence: A Return to Sri Lanka

February 28, 2007 at 1:02 pm · Categories: Colombo, Peace and Conflict | by Sanjana Hattotuwa

CIRCLES OF VIOLENCE : A Return to Sri Lanka is film that about which Sam got in first got in touch with me around two years ago.

He filmed 3 – 4 times in the intervening years and I got to see the final product last night at Barefoot, along with around 150 – 200 others who were present at the screening. Perhaps more than the film, a preview of which I had seen earlier, I was interested to listen to those in the audience discuss Sri Lanka’s conflictual social, economic, political terrains through their own experience. Some, who had returned to Sri Lanka like Sam after spending many years abroad, others who had lived through it all, and many foreigners, working outside of Colombo with rural communities, expressed what they felt / saw were some of the causes of violent conflict, how it could be mitigated, and the manner in which education, language, identity, caste, class and other labels served often to divide peoples, rather than unite.

What made a Sri Lankan a Sri Lankan, was a topic that animated many in the room. Some said that we needed to celebrate our individual identity as a Sinhalese, Tamil, Muslim, Malay or Dutch-Burgher (or any other communal identity) in Sri Lanka. Others said there was no such thing as a unique communal identity – and that a history of inter-marriage, foreign invasions, migration and population movements necessarily erased any notion of a “pure” identity, reminding me of the Zulu maxim “umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu” — meaning, in essence, “a person is a person through other persons.”

It was a good night to see, listen and talk about the many ways in which this country is both blessed, and cursed.

As Sam notes:

Circles of Violence: A Return to Sri Lanka is a personal exploration by Sri Lankan / Australian documentary maker that exposes the island’s dark history and tries to make sense of the deeper processes beneath the violence.

The film raises some fundamental questions about Sri Lanka’s future, and recalls a time when balance was respected and wisdom prevailed.

CIRCLES OF VIOLENCE : A Return to Sri Lanka reveals the profound dilemmas faced by a society gripped by a new kind of strife one that other societies (especially in the west) could well face in the near future.

I am told by Sam that a DVD of the film, which runs for just under an hour, will be made available for purchase locally in the near future. Click here for the original of the trailer shown above.

Update: Nazreen’s Flickr stream has a photo of Sam and Manik Sandrasagara, a key character in the film, here.

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the lolly dj said,

February 28, 2007 @ 2:00 pm

I’m glad to hear it will be available- I’d like to get my mitts on a copy.
I can’t remember the names of the other people who were interviewed throughout the film- can anyone help?

Electra said,

February 28, 2007 @ 9:29 pm

nothing that was in it was exactly news to someone who’s lived in sri lanka and has had their eyes and ears open- but remembering that it comes from a point of view of someone who didn’t come back for many years, i felt it was poignantly made and delivered. its informational and not emotional, i liked that even at the end, it doesnt tell you who to blame.

i think it would be a great film to show ex pats or the many people who come from overseas to work here now. it would also be criminal for young people not to see it- its short and summarizes factually what the fuck is going on in this country and i think its crucial that everyone KNOWS. so many teengers are just plain ignorant for the simple reason that they just cannot be bothered looking around them. what better way to deal with this than to show them a 45 minute film?

Che said,

March 1, 2007 @ 1:43 am

Wait until this particular peacenik message reaches the eyes and ears of the fascist fruitcakes…

David Blacker said,

March 1, 2007 @ 3:42 pm

As a sort of ‘Barefoot View of the War’, I think it did it’s job. However, I felt that interviewing just the Colombo 7 set (most of whom were just detached observers as Sandrasagara pointed out) and actually leaving out the participants weakened the whole project. I’d have liked to have seen and heard the POVs of some soldiers, Tigers, refugees, fascist priests, and regular people. I got the feeling that the film could have been produced by someone in Australia without ever having come here to SL.

Sanjana Hattotuwa said,

March 1, 2007 @ 6:20 pm

There is a review up by Tulsi on this film here – http://www.groundviews.org/2007/03/01/circles-of-violence-%e2%80%93-going-round-and-round/

naz said,

March 1, 2007 @ 7:31 pm

I get defensive when people keep talking about a ‘Barefoot view’ on whatever.
Barefoot is a space that has grown and evolved into what the general public see today.
One must not forget the extraordinary cutting edge history it has and the myriad of people who have passed through its doors. (and still do) Point is, I feel we have been one of the freest spaces in Colombo’s history, and I love the fact that it is available for all people and all points of view, and will continue to do so. Barefoot is what YOU make of it- it does not impose it’s “views” on anyone or anything.

Sanjana Hattotuwa said,

March 1, 2007 @ 7:51 pm

Dear Naz,

I beg to differ from your opinion. Any space is circumscribed by walls hidden and seen – physical, cultural, historical and emotional, to name but a few. The creators of spaces – public or private – invariably leave their imprimatur on their creation, either by what they bring in to it, or what they leave out. Barefoot is what you’ve helped create – it is owned by you and defined by you. It will never be entirely what “we” make of it.

All spaces exclude, by design or otherwise. The fact is that Sam’s choice to show the film at Barefoot necessarily excluded people – to believe otherwise is folly. I am not saying you should be held, in anyway, responsible for this exclusion, but to call Barefoot one of the freest spaces in Colombo I feel is taking it too far, lest we forget those who have passed through, and promoted their views at Liptop Circus and Galle Face and for no cost.

Barefoot is certainly tainted, positively and negatively, by the character of those who pass through it – but those who do are also selected by the fact that Barefoot is what it is and where it is. It isn’t a Lipton Circus, it isn’t a Galle Face, and a person who frequents either for their enjoyment, relaxation or edification aren’t necessarily those who will feel comfortable in Barefoot, and vice versa.

Barefoot will indeed continue to grow and evolve, and remains one of my favourite locations for a spot of quiet reflection on a pleasant day in Colombo – but I would not venture to label it as egalitarian and open as you think it to be.

Sanjana

groundviews said,

March 1, 2007 @ 7:58 pm

Che,

I think Tulsi’s review of the film puts paid to any fascist fruitcake critics who may emerge from the wood-works after Sam’s creation goes on sale in the near future.

Sanjana

Che said,

March 2, 2007 @ 4:44 am

Well, judging by the comments above, it seems not all fruitcakes are fascists…

David Blacker said,

March 2, 2007 @ 9:09 am

Hey, Naz. My point wasn’t to try and define what Barefooot is, or what it stands for, any of that stuff. It frankly doesn’t concern me. To me, it’s one of the places I visit for various reasons. When I said “a Barefoot view”, I could very well have said a “Col 7 view” or a “Barrista view” or whatever. I think Barefoot symbolises a kind of lifestyle, and Sam’s film projected a POV of people from that lifestyle. That’s all.

naz said,

March 2, 2007 @ 2:14 pm

Have been having connection problems, would have commented sooner.
Understand what you meant, David. For me, the tragedy is that today it’s definitely more ‘defined’ than I would personally like it to be. what was interesting about the screening is that there were so many people there that I had never seen before, so yes I still think it’s the people who patronise the space or a particular event that define it. We just provide the ambiance/place for them to get on with it.

Sanjana, never really thought we were egalitarian, but certainly believe in freedom of religion, conscience, speech and political beliefs.
and your right in that It’s a more protected space, people do not get hassled here, like they do at Lipton Circus or Galle Face Green, I think for the most part, people are just left to be. If you want to sit all day and battle the wifi, argue politics, dance on a table your able to do so. That’s what I mean by ‘free.’ Oh and If any of you were around in the early 90’s we exposed a lot of art and dialogue that other places would not undertake for fear of reprisal. You should have seen the hate mail.

InfoShare Research Unit » Blog Archive » Weekend Reading said,

March 2, 2007 @ 2:18 pm

[...] Podcasts and media Circles of violence, a preview of which is available here, and a review here, ratcheted up some interesting discussions in the blogosphere on the nature of films dealing with the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. [...]

groundviews said,

March 2, 2007 @ 3:23 pm

Hi Naz,

I agree with you now that you’ve more clearly expressed what you meant by “free”. The fact that Barefoot excludes – by its pricing, location and ambiance – is I believe *precisely* why some of us choose to spend time there, away from the madness outside.

It would be interesting to see what you will face in the future as the result of the increasing justification of curtailing media freedom and civil rights through the Prohibition of Terrorism and Specified Terrorist Activities Regulations (PPTSTAR) and PTA.

Sanjana

groundviews » “We need a revolution in Sri Lanka!” - A brief chat with Sam de Silva said,

March 5, 2007 @ 6:50 pm

[...] I caught up with Sam de Silva of Circles of Violence fame, before he headed back to Australia tonight. Sam’s film, shown to a few of us in Colombo last week, has already generated some interesting responses and is the most recent attempt to explore through film Sri Lanka’s tryst with peace in the midst of rising violence. [...]

groundviews » Diaspora dilemmas: Australia and the Sri Lanka conflict said,

May 26, 2007 @ 8:27 am

[...] Read the article in full here. Sam’s contributions to Groundviews can be found here and a review of his film on Sri Lanka, Circles of Violence, here. [...]

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