Tikiri Ratnayake's first feature film 'Pura Sakmana' (Bitter Harvest) running to 90 minutes depicts the struggle of the inhabitants of a remote poverty stricken dry zone village.

This film was shot in areas in and around Mahakanadarawa, 25 kilometres away from Anuradhapura where stands a tank by the same name. Talking on the location Tikiri said it was the dry zone that I wanted to capture and my first visit was to Galgamuwa.

Tikiri Ratnayake is admirably supported in his maiden effort by one of Sri Lanka's leading film stars, Anoja Weerasinghe who has returned after a long lay off from the silver screen.

"When I was designing the script it was Anoja who first came to my mind for the role of Gunawathi. The mother who had to fight with almost everything around her including herself as the woman who could depict the character in my script best.

For Kanchana, I wanted to introduce a new face and Kanchana had not played this type of serious role earlier in the silver screen. According to the director, his make-up-artist J. Suranimala had to change the skin tone of both Kanchana Mendis and Anoja Weerasinghe throughout the film to suit the women in the story line who were accustomed to a hard life in a remote village.

Others in the cast are Hemasiri Liyanage, Cletus Mendis, Janaka Kumbukge, Grace Ariyawimal, Vinnie Wettasinghe, Richard Weerakkody and Duleeka Marapana.
 

Being involved in grass-roots poverty alleviation and development programmes among the poor for a long time Mr. Ratnayake said "I have come across a number of stories like this and these are very common experiences in every village". Questioned as to whether he could achieve all his objectives with this maiden effort Mr. Ratnayake said it was due to his unending interest that it was completed.

"However I had certain limitations specially with regard to the non-availability of finance and materials and this was a recurring shortcoming till the end."

The film was also screened at 26th Cairo Intentional Film Festival and Asian Film Festival in Mumbai. "I could not send my film to certain other festivals as I could not get it subtitled. But with the intervention of the chairman of the Film Corporation this was made possible," Tikiri said thankfully.

However I started the film with my own money and it was due to the interest in making a film that drew me to complete it and I am satisfied with what I have done" Tikiri Ratnayake sighed. The film will be released in EAP circuit cinemas from February 12.