Sri Lanka is like an eternally unhappy island in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Which has a long tumultuous political history. Despite the ashes of war and hundreds of problems, some incredibly beautiful movies have emerged in this island. There are classic masterpieces like Dharmasena Pathiraja's 'The wasps are here' as well as the Cannes award-winning Vimukthi Jayasundara's 'The forsaken land'.
Sanjeewa Pushpakumara's Burning Birds is an irrefutable document of Sri Lanka's politically turbulent times. A painful life story of Kusum, a mother of eight who loses her husband, in a vicious society where violence is rampant.
Each frame is meticulously arranged in this film, the positioning of the characters and the lighting conditions make each frame resembles like an oil painting.
When all the structures of a State begins to crumble, People in it becomes demoralized animals. It is difficult for a widowed woman to survive in a Socio-Politically degraded country. In a society like this, women become vulnerable targets, no matter how hard they try to earn their livelihood while Keeping self-esteem high, at the end of the day eventually they will be exploited and humiliated.
Kusum wanted to support her helpless family - amidst endless social hostility- Even this very simple dream of her remains elusive.
BURNING BIRDS
Directed by Sanjeewa Pushpakumara
France, Sri Lanka, 2016