Community Film Making and innovative direction of rural art (An ethnographic study on a Sri Lankan community film 'Walapane Satana')

Abstract

'Community film' is an attractive new term that has been emerged over the past few years. Though Sri Lankans are familiar with 'Community radio', the phrase 'Community film' is still a novel idea. But, it has been recognized by the world that community filmmaking is a broad concept that can be understood and produced in different ways, such as participatory community filmmaking and non-participatory community filmmaking. This study focuses on 'participatory community filmmaking' and tries to understand how it works, why it is made, what the benefits are, and how we can use it as a tool to achieve something positive. Under the qualitative research approach, an ethnographic study was performed. Films have been classified under various criteria, and it helps to understand what type of film it is. Primary and secondary data were collected. Preliminary data was collected through participatory observation and interview methods. Since the film, 'Walapane Satana' was the only film found from Sri Lanka and easily fit into the criteria to call it a community film, it was used for the study. The research revealed a solid sociocultural background behind the making of this film. This particular community film has influenced the development of the place and individuals of this village in many ways. Almost all the villagers have participated in this film to attend and make, teach, learn, present, promote, judge, support, and span many artistic disciplines. Most importantly, some people have given up their lifelong bad habits to become a part of this film, and at the end of the film, they have entirely dumped those habits and have started effectively leading their lives. Furthermore, being a part of this film has added value to their lives, and it has empowered and educated them to become worthy citizens. These findings led the researcher to conclude the study with a strong opinion on community filmmaking as a powerful driver for social change.