The Criticism of the Tamil
Short Film: Sambalilirinthu (From the
Ashes)
Once again,
Mr. A. Nishanthan, has directed a Tamil short film (8 minutes), Sambalilirinthu, (From
the Ashes), sponsored by the Oblates of the Society for Social Services. The
function for the release of the film was held at ‘Annai Illam’ (the Home of the
Mother), the Centre of the Oblates of Social services in Kilinochchi on 20th
February 2014. It is a film about the post-war survival of a Vanni family
seriously traumatized physically and psychologically. The survival leading to
revival efforts of the family are projected as a microcosm symbolizing the
macrocosm of the entire Vanni families affected by the ethnic conflict and the
intensive war at the end during 2008 and 2009. The momentum of the emotional
moments of the inception of the resettlement and rehabilitation efforts of the
family is portrayed dynamically with an intensive symbolic significance. The determined survival efforts of the
directly affected, parent-deprived, education-deprived, disabled but
responsible children and the young ones are dichotomized against the carefree,
irresponsible life style of the less affected or unaffected ones.
The role of
Tamil Women who are the majority in the Vanni is projected as the primary force
to be reckoned with and they should lead the Tamil society during this
transitional period. The livelihood means and ends are emphasized by
consolidating local food security measures. The emphasis is laid on developing
local small industries.
Their
happiness originates from their local context, not externally dished out or
doled out as aids: for instance, music from local leaf fiddle, locally
blossoming wild flowers, and pushing Nongu
vandi (a rolling structure made of a pair of the raw fruits of Palmyra by
hooking them with a stick across and pushing them with the help of another long
stick with the split end (bi-parted). The Local rice kanji (rice with
coconut milk spiced with onions and chilly and so on) makes the members of the
family together and their eating and sharing symbolizes unity for
re-establishing livelihoods - happiness through locally made commodities and
industries- showing satisfaction. It is the rediscovery of happiness and
freedom in a simple original way.
The barbed
wire fence intimidates women security, community security and human security at
large. The child standing on the abandoned empty ammunition tin box, respecting
the parents killed or who died may remind the bitter truth of the people’s
psychological resistance of violent war and military control. It may further
shows that the younger ones should consider their rebirth from the consequences
and loss of war as steps for socio economic, educational and political changes.
Picking up and looking on the broken piece of the mirror gives hope for
restoring the ethnic and cultural identity. The injury and the scars must
remind the Tamils for speedy recovery from the negative feeling of the social,
political and psychological defeat due to the war.
The elder
brother deprived of one of his legs stands for the idea and action of responsibility
for restoring whatever is lost, evolved from the pain experienced in the war or
as a victim of the consequences of the war. His buying note books implies educational
revival and now the brother does think of liberation from a fresh point of view
- liberation by education. The scene of cleaning the house premises from litter
insists eliminating the evils of the war.
On the
whole, the film tries to give hope and confidence to the war affected Tamils in
re-establishing their dignity, their economy, their culture, their livelihood, their
political rights and their freedom from military control. It is the binary
projection of the post war situation of traumatization versus rehabilitation,
responsibility versus irresponsibility, experience versus expectation, education
versus entertainment. Further it exposes the construction of a binary in the
life style of the younger generation- iphones, alcohol, and idling versus
family and social responsibility; how a post war younger generation should be
and should not be in a context where grand parents and grandchildren mostly
live and parents and youth were mostly dead. The old woman, the grandma
symbolizing old age and weakness with the disabled youth and children shows
this reality of human existence and human absurdity.
The writer
cum photographer cum director, Mr. A. Nishanthan has done a good job. The music
is appropriate. The film does not have any dialogue. The director, A.
Nishanthan has reached up another step in directing Tamil short films. The film
is available for view at the Oblates Society for Social services (Annai Illam),
No: 87, Kanahambihaikulam, Kilinochchi.
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