"Anne" (2007) was a tele venture by the young, award-winning director
Nalaka Swarnathilaka ("Danga
Malla"). "Anne" was telecast
on Swarnavahini in Sri Lanka every Sunday at 8:30 p.m. in 2007. The tele
venture was based on the L.M. Mongomery's "Anne
of Green Gables," which
was translated into Sinhala by Shanika
Dulani Kumanayake. Kalubowila (R.S. Video) produced the tele drama, and it
was scripted by Swarnathilaka. Students from Sri Lankan schools played roles
in the tele drama, which was filmed in Bandarawela and at the Elphinstone
Theatre in Colombo.
Anne (2007)
Vinuri Ramanayake, at the time a grade 7 student at Vishaka Vidyalaya, played
the title role of younger Anne Shirley, and the older Anne was played by
Poorni
Kamaladiwela, who was a
grade 11 student at Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya in Colombo. Piyumi
Gamage, who was another grade 7 student at Vishaka College, played
the role of Diana Barry, while the older Diana was played by Buddhika Wimalasekara,
then a grade 11 student of the Girls High School in Kandy.
Nalaka Swarnathilaka reflected on Anne's story in an interview with Susitha
R. Fernando of the TV Times of The Sunday Times Online,
saying: "I
always had a penchant for children's
stories, especially the stories outside our country. Even our children like
stories
and that’s
why Harry Potter is so popular. This story will also definitely attract not
only children but also adults because the theme is such. I hope people will
see it and talk about the creation." He believe that Anne's story "makes
you think about children and their world seriously. I feel that it will promote
to
intellectual discussion among the adult world about child rearing and insight
into children's world. Adults should know that there are many lessons we
can learn from children." Nalaka believed that Sri Lankans would identify
with the Canadian story, saying that 'Anne' is a story set in a rural village,
nature, family lives and children who were left alone in their world which
are common
to our context as well.
The story is filled with local flavour and I hope it would suit our society
as well."
Nalaka recounted that a memorable moment in the process of developing the
Anne tele venture was casting young Anne. He explained that "Vinuri Ramanayake
who plays little Anne was just sitting in a classroom alone when
I came across
her
at Visakha
Vidyalaya.
She had
never acted and from the first audition I realized she was the ideal person
for the role."
This production is another wonderful example of how L.M. Montgomery's
story and Anne Shirley herself are identified with and loved around the world.
I hope to see more of this series one day, particularly because Vinuri Ramanayake,
who plays the young Anne, is the Anne who looks most like me.
Synopsis (from The Daily Mirror, April 30, 2007 and The
Sunday Times Online, September 16, 2007):
"The story revolves around Anne Shirley, an eleven-year-old girl. Her parents
died when she was a little girl, and then destiny changed her course. She was
treated as a servant and later was moved to an orphanage. One day a neighbour,
knowing all the hardships Anne goes through, decides to take
her to Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert, a couple of distant relatives.
Miss Marilla
Cuthbert and Mr. Matthew Cuthbert are middle-aged siblings who live together
at Green Gables, a farm in Avonlea, on Prince Edward
Island. They decide to adopt an orphan boy from the asylum as a helper
on their farm.
Through a series of mishaps, what ends up under their roof is a precocious
girl of eleven named Anne Shirley. Anne is bright and quick, eager to
please but dissatisfied with her name, her pale countenance dotted with
freckles,
and with her long braids of red
hair. Being a child of imagination, however, Anne takes much joy in life,
and adapts quickly, thriving in the environment of Prince Edward Island.
The
rest of the story recounts her continued education at school, where she
excels in studies very quickly, her budding literary ambitions and her
friendships with people such as Diana Barry (her best friend), Jane Andrews
and Ruby Gillis and her rivalry with Gilbert Blythe, who teased her about
her red hair and for that acquired her hatred, although he apologised
many
times."
Video Clips (uploaded by Romantist)
Credits
Director and Script Writer: Nalaka Swarnathilake
Based on Translation by: Shanika
Dulani Kumanayake
Producer: Ruchira Liyanaarachchi
(RS Video)
Camera: Thrishula Deepa Thambawita
Music Director: Nuwan Vithanage
Art Director: Dinesh Jayashantha
Editor: Pujitha Kanchana Amaratunge
Make Up: Sameera Madhu Kindelpitiya
Dance Choreography: Harshika Rathnayake
Assistant Director: Asiri Priyani
Costumes: Tharanga Anthani
Vocals: Natasha Perera, Poorni Kamaldiwala
Lyrics: Amitha Rabbidigala, Nuwan
Katugampola
Cast:
Vinuri Ramanayake - Anne Shirley (younger)
Poorni Kamaladiwela - Anne Shirley (older)
Piyumi Gamage - Diana Barry (younger)
Buddhika Wimalasekara - Diana Barry (older)
Kusum Renu
Athula Liyanage
Nilmini Sigera
Athula
Pathirana
Malkanthi Jayasinghe
Maureen Charuni
Rebecca Nirmali
Chitra Warakagoda
Manel Wanaguru
Chaminda Jayasuriya
Wijeratne Warakagoda
Nilmini Buwaneka
Lanka Bandaranayake
Udayashantha Liyanage
Kumara Abeywardhana
Lakshman
Rajapakshe
Tiran Gurusinghe
Nuwan
Wijesinghe
Harshi Seneviratne
Sathya Gurusinghe
Tharuka Abeyratne
Kanchana
Hewawitharana
Rebecca Hugebert
Ravishanka Alikewela
Chamitha Perera
Hasangi
Minusha
Nisal Deelaka
Aparna Fernando
Navindu Yasas
Dulanjali Kumari
Herath
Kavishka Dilshan
Ovini de Silva
Vishva Vidanagamage
Madusha Erandi
Weeraddane
Amila Virajith
Sharon Hugerbert
Hasitha Herath
Chamalka Perera
Yesith Randula Abeysinghe
Poorni Shehara
Suwimali Dissanayake
Thidas Nimnaka Abeysinghe
Vinuri de Silva
Christein
Deshapriya
Links and References related to Anne (external
links open in new windows):
Swarnavahini
"Anne
Loved By Children," MyDay.lk, September 3, 2007
"Anne in the making…" The Daily Mirror, April 30, 2007
"Anne:
A tale of playful girl" by Susitha R. Fernando, The
TV Times, The Sunday Times Online, Vol. 42, No. 16., September
16, 2007
Created 09.12.07, Last Updated 04.29.09
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