Words: Tina Edward Gunawardhana
UK Based filmmaker calvin Chinthaka brings to life the cultural importance of the osariya through his award winning film
Why did you embark on making a film on the Osariya?
I have always been amazed by vibrant cultures and colours which create social identity dilemmas and controversy within people and their cultural beliefs in different parts of the world. However my main inspiration was my grandmother. Growing up in Kandy surrounded by Kandyan customs, the Osariya was not an unusual thing for me as my grandmother has worn the Osariya every day for over 40 years as her daily attire. Exploring the Osariya provided me with a great opportunity to learn about the Kandyan heritage and culture in depth. By creating this fashion film, I intend to bring some of those elements to life so everyone can have an understanding and enjoy fashion beyond fashion.
How long did it take you to make the film?
Initial planning took place in early 2019. Around February, I was planning and putting together the initial mood board while looking for the right crew. Pre-production from February to the end of March was done in London. In April 2019 I left London bound for Sri Lanka and spent an initial couple of weeks in Kandy at the National Library researching Sri Lankan culture, heritage, fabrics, and colours. Filming and production took around two weeks in late April in Kandy, and the post-production took about a month.
