• Source: Ho Gaana Pokuna

Ho Gana Pokuna (The Singing Pond) (Sinhala: හෝ ගානා පොකුණ) 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 Liyanarachi, Yashodara Sarachchandra, Dayananda Liyanarachi, 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

=




= 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

Jury Awards

Special award for Anasuya Subasinghe.
Highest Grossing Movie



2nd Hiru Golden Film Awards 2016


Jury Awards

Special Award for Anjali Wickramasinghe



36th SIGNIS Awards (OCIC) 2016


Jury Awards

Special Award for Anjali Wickramasinghe



33rd Sarasaviya Awards


Jury Merit Awards
Dinesh Subasinghe
Thisakya Kumaratunge



Presidential Film Awards 2017


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
Ho Gaana Pokuna at IMDb
Hogaana Pokuna (The Singing Pond) at Zlin Festival Archived 27 June 2015 at the Wayback Machine
Singing pond at Hannoi international film festival
The Singing Pond at Monash University Art news
(in Sinhala) Ho Gaana Pokuna at Cinema.lk
Ho Gaana Pokuna on The Island
Ho Gaana Pokuna at the National Film Corporation
(in Sinhala) දයාදේව එදිරිසිංහ හෝ ගානා පොකුණේ අත්දැකීම් හෙළිකරයි
(in Sinhala) හෝ ගානා පොකුණ ගතානුගතිකත්වයෙන් මිදුණු චිත්‍රපටයක්
(in Sinhala) හෝ ගානා පොකුණෙන් ලෝක සිනමාවේ වාර්තාවක්

Kata Kunci Pencarian:

• Ho Gaana Pokuna
• Dinesh Subasinghe
• Derana Film Awards
• Hyacinth Wijeratne
• 33rd Sarasaviya Awards
• Geetha Kanthi Jayakody
• Hiru Golden Film Awards
• Yalu Malu Yalu 2
• Jayalath Manoratne
• Vedi Nowadina Lamai