Ho Gana Pokuna (The Singing Pond) () is a 2015 Sri Lankan children's musical drama film written and directed by Indika Ferdinando. It depicts a teacher in a remote village, Uma (Anasuya Subasinghe), teaching her students to focus on something they have never seen before.
The film was awarded the Teacher's Choice Prize at the 31st Chicago International Children's Film Festival, Best Feature Film at the 38th Lucas International Children's Festival, and the City of Zlin Award at the 55th Zlín Film Festival. It had its world premiere at the Shanghai International Film Festival and was designated as the official selection at the Hanoi International Film Festival.
Plot A new teacher, Uma (Anasuya Subasinghe), arrives at a school with her first appointment in a remote village near Dambulla in Sri Lanka. The school has few students, with only the principal (Lucian Bulathsinghala) and Uma as the teacher. With the help of Uma the pupils gradually start to dream of bigger things than they ever imagined.
One day Upuli, a blind girl, shares her unseen dream with school friends Sukiri and Ukkun. It gradually becomes the dream throughout the village. The children and Uma encounter perils in their venture to realise this dream. The children of the school start to focus on something they have never seen before. This target gives rise to a small revolution.
Film crew The movie was directed by Indika Ferdinando. It was produced by Kusumsiri Liyanaarachchi, Yashodhara Sarachchandra, Dayananda Liyanaarachchi, Shyama Athukorala, Bimal Fernando, Nirosha Fernando, and Geetha Muthumala. Principal photography was undertaken by Channa Deshapriya and editing by Thissa Surendra.
Cast Anusuya Subasinghe as Uma Lucien Bulathsinhala as School principal Jayalath Manoratne as Bus driver Justin Dayadewa Edirisinghe as Gramasevaka Jayani Senanayake as Chithra, Gramasevaka's wife Hyacinth Wijeratne as Principal's wife Senat Dikkumbura as Mudalali Geetha Kanthi Jayakody as Justin's wife Ama Wijesekera as Tailor woman Jagath Chamila as Madhuwantha, Uma's lover (only voice) D.B. Gangodathenna as Kiri Aththa Chathuranga Wijethunga Senaka Titus as Sudu Banda Ananda Kumara Unnehe as Farmer Wasantha Muhandiram as Pushpakumara
Child actors Thishakya Kumaratunga Anjali Methsara as Blind girl Sathsara Jayasuriya Nethpriya Manubhashitha Senith Valpotagamage Sethika Gunasinghe Nihansa Dissanayake Vinod Saleem Udara Perera Wasana Pathirana Kimuthu Liyanaarchchi Maleesha Muthuarachchi Nileesha Dinethmi Vishmi Sathsarani Deshan Abeweera Navoda Hansini Vinumi Vinsadi Nesta Maneth
Musical score The film's score and songs were composed and conducted by Dinesh Subasinghe. Vocals for the theme song, "Rata Pena Kiri Haawa", were provided by Thrishala Wijethunga with background vocals by Dewmini Fernando, Dinith Ridhmika, Banuka Senivirathna and Nishami Naizara.
Sound track The sound track of the movie was released on M Entertainment music. The musical score has been admired by the Hanoi film jury and Chicago media journalists. The soundtrack was recorded by Rajeewa Jayawickrama and finalised by Shashika Ruwan Maarasinghe in Chennai.
Awards and nominations International Awards
Year Film FestivalCountry Category Result 2015 31st Chicago International Children's Film FestivalU.S. Special Jury award (Teacher's Choice) 201555th Zlín Film FestivalCzech Republic City of Zlin Award, 201538th Lucas International Children's Film FestivalGermanyBest Feature film award 2016SAARC Film FestivalSAARC countries*Best Screenplay-Indika Ferdinando *Best Editor-Tissa Surendra
Awards in Sri Lankan Film Festivals 4th Derana Sunsilk Film Awards 2016 Ho Gana Pokuna movie has got nine nominations & won six awards at the 4th Derana Sunsilk Film Awards 2016 at Nelum pokuna Thearter on 14 May 2016.
CategoryArtist Result Best Original ScoreDinesh Subasinghe Best Supporting ActorJayalath Manoratne Most Popular Film SongDinesh Subasinghe Best DirectionIndika Ferdinando Best Screen PlayIndika Ferdinando Best Art DirectorManjula Ayagama Best Actor in a Negative Role Dayadeva EdirisingheBest Actress in a Supporting RoleJayani Senanayake Best Movie & Most Popular MovieKusumsiri Liyanaarachchi,Yashodhara Sarachchandra, Dayananda Liyanaarachchi, Shyama Athukorala, Bimal Fernando, Nirosha Fernando, Sunil T Fernando,
Jury Awards Special award for Anasuya Subasinghe. Highest Grossing Movie
2nd Hiru Golden Film Awards 2016
CategoryArtist Result Most Popular Film SongKusumsiri Liyanaarachchi, Indika Ferdinando, Dinesh Subasinghe Best EditingTissa Surendra Best Sound DesigningSasika Ruwan Marasinghe Best Comic RoleJayalath Manoratne Best Original ScoreDinesh Subasinghe Best Movie SongDinesh Subasinghe Most Popular Child StarThishakya Kumarathunga Most Promising directorIndika Ferdinando Best Negative RoleDaya Deva Edhirisinghe Best Screen PlayIndika Ferdinando Best MovieKusumsiri Liyanaarachchi,Yashodara Sarachchandra, Dayananda Liyanaarachchi, Shyama Athukorala, Bimal Fernando, Nirosha Fernando, Sunil T Fernando
Jury Awards Special Award for Anjali Wickramasinghe
36th SIGNIS Awards (OCIC) 2016
CategoryArtist Result Best EditingTissa Surendra Best Sound DesigningSasika Ruwan Marasinghe Best Original ScoreDinesh Subasinghe Best Supporting RoleJayalath Manoratne Best Supporting RoleDayadeva Edirisinghe Best ActressAnasuya Subasinghe Best DirectorIndika Ferdinando Best Screen PlayIndika Ferdinando Best MovieKusumsiri Liyanaarachchi,Yashodhara Sarachchandra, Dayananda Liyanaarachchi, Shyama Athukorala, Bimal Fernando, Nirosha Fernando, Sunil T Fernando
Jury Awards Special Award for Anjali Wickramasinghe
33rd Sarasaviya Awards
CategoryArtist ResultMost Promising ActressAnasuya Subasinghe Best Supporting ActorJayalath Manoratne Best Original ScoreDinesh Subasinghe Best lyricistindika Ferdinando,Kusumsiri Liyanaarachchi Best CinematographyChanna Deshapriya Best Sound DesigningSasika Ruwan Marasinghe Best DirectorIndika Ferdinando Best Screen PlayIndika Ferdinando Best MovieKusumsiri Liyanaarachchi,Yashodara Sarachchandra, Dayananda Liyanaarachchi, Shyama Athukorala, Bimal Fernando, Nirosha Fernando, Geetha Muthumala, Sunil T Fernando
Jury Merit Awards Dinesh Subasinghe Thisakya Kumaratunge
Presidential Film Awards 2017
CategoryArtist ResultBest Art directorManjula Ayagama Best Film SongDinesh Subasinghe Best Original ScoreDinesh Subasinghe Best Supporting ActorJayalath Manoratnebest Upcoming ActressAnasuya Subasinghe
Jury Merit Awards Thishakya Sankalana Kumarathunga Senith Sathwiru Walpitagamage Sathsara Sawan Jayasooriya Senitha Dinith Gunasinhe Nethpriya Madhubhashitha Ranawakarachchige
Box office The film completed 100 days and went up to 147 days until the release date of movie Paththini. It was a huge box office success in Sri Lanka and won the Highest Grossing movie Award at the 4th Derana Sunsilk Film Festival. The film was recorded as the first Sri Lankan movie to be released in Blu-Ray technology.
References
External links Official website
Hogaana Pokuna (The Singing Pond) at Zlin Festival Singing pond at Hannoi international film festival The Singing Pond at Monash University Art news Ho Gaana Pokuna at Cinema.lk Ho Gaana Pokuna on The Island Ho Gaana Pokuna at the National Film Corporation දයාදේව එදිරිසිංහ හෝ ගානා පොකුණේ අත්දැකීම් හෙළිකරයි හෝ ගානා පොකුණ ගතානුගතිකත්වයෙන් මිදුණු චිත්රපටයක් හෝ ගානා පොකුණෙන් ලෝක සිනමාවේ වාර්තාවක්