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Lawrence Valin’s debut feature ‘Little Jaffna’ to premiere at Venice Film Festival

Published

2 years ago

2024/09/1

Lankan descent French filmmaker Lawrence Valin s feature directorial debut Little Jaffna is set to make its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival. The first clip has been unveiled from the film, said a report published by Variety.

The film, which Valin also co-wrote and stars in, explores the Tamil diaspora experience in France through the prism of gang culture in the area of central Paris known informally as Little Jaffna, named after the capital city of the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. It is set against the backdrop of the Sri Lankan civil war, which ravaged the country from 1983 to 2009.

Valin developed the project after his experiences acting in and directing short films. His journey to Little Jaffna was influenced by his involvement with Jacques Audiard s Cannes Palme d Or-winning film Dheepan (2015), which also dealt with the Sri Lankan Tamil experience in France.

I got the audition to pass the casting for Dheepan for the main role, Valin told Variety. When I passed the audition, I was like, Okay, this is a life chance to work with Jacques Audiard, one of the best French directors. I love his work. However, after three months, Valin was offered a background role instead of the lead. I was like, Man, I passed the audition for the main role and I said, No, thanks.’

This experience proved pivotal for Valin s career trajectory. After that I started to think that I have to direct. Otherwise I cannot play, I cannot have any role or character, and I was okay, I m going to write and I m going to direct. That film influenced me to be a director. That s the link for me, Valin said.

Valin s acting experiences in France also highlighted the limited opportunities for actors of Tamil descent. All the time, when I get some casting stuff, it s like, you have to play the Indian, Valin recounted. And I was like, I m just not Indian. I m French too. He even went to the extent of learning English with an Indian accent to secure roles in French films, a practice that left him feeling frustrated with the industry s stereotypical portrayals.

Before embarking on Little Jaffna, Valin honed his directing skills with two short films. His first, also titled Little Jaffna (2018), was his graduation project from the La F mis film school. For this project, Valin worked with Jesuthasan Anthonythasan, the lead actor from Dheepan. He already had the experience with Audiard, and it was very easy for me to direct him, because he understood everything very quickly, Valin said.

While the first short was budgeted at 25,000 ($27,800) and had a 21-minute running time, the second, The Loyal Man, was a more ambitious 41-minute film with a budget of 250,000 ($278,000). You have the pressure going with that, because more money, more pressure, Valin noted. The film was selected for Clermont-Ferrand, where Valin won best actor.

For the feature Little Jaffna, Valin aimed to create a film that would resonate with both Tamil audiences and a broader international viewership. If you’re making a film [only] for Tamil people, just a few people will look at it, Valin explained. I need to put the war in a way to make everyone understand what is going on.

The director enlisted established Indian actors Radikaa Sarathkumar and Vela Ramamoorthy for key roles, noting their experience brought valuable depth to the characters. The film was made with the support of the French Sri Lankan Tamil community who took the project seriously when Sarathkumar s participation was confirmed, Valin said. When I met Radikaa ma am, it was just clear she wanted to do [it] without any money, Valin added. She played the character of my grandma, my real grandma. I give her the photo of my grandma, and she changed her way to be exactly like my grandma.

However, Valin decided not to cast Anthonythasan. Sadly, I didn t want him to be in this film, because everyone will say Dheepan and Little Jaffna because these are the only two French films [about] Tamil people, Valin said. People will always talk about Dheepan [and] its effect. And I say, Okay, I have to do something that it’s not, you don’t have to think about that.’

While the film is set in 2009, Valin intentionally avoided specifying dates to emphasize the ongoing nature of the issues depicted. People are still suffering there in Sri Lanka, he said. It’s important to say that people are still suffering there, and we remember them.

Valin s approach to filmmaking is deeply personal and hands-on. He not only directs but also acts in his films, a method he believes creates a stronger connection with his cast, many of whom are non-professional actors. It’s my way of directing. It’s to be in the heart of the creation with the other actors, Valin explained. Most of my actors are non-professional actors. They are very scared at the beginning, and I’m saying, Man, I’m with you. I’m scared too. We are going together.’ Valin broke his wrist during the first week of shoot and worked through the pain.

The filmmaker hails from a Sri Lankan Tamil family and his journey reflects his dual identity as both French and Tamil. The film is about identity, and I know that it’s deep in my story, Valin said. He sees Little Jaffna as a way to bridge his two cultures without having to choose between them. The director s cinematic influences are also deeply rooted in Tamil cinema, and he cites superstar Rajinikanth and Vijay as his acting inspirations.

Little Jaffna closes Venice’s Critics Week and is next headed to Toronto where it is part of the Centrepiece program. Charades handles international sales.

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AgriConnect Sri Lanka’ to be launched on 30 October to Modernise the Agricultural Sector Through Digitalisation

Published

1 hour ago

2026/10/15

Priyan

A discussion on the official launch of the ‘AgriConnect Sri Lanka’ programme was held at the Presidential Secretariat on Tuesday (13) morning between Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake and a delegation led by Gevorg Sargsyan, World Bank Group Manager for Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

The discussion focused on the official launch of the ‘AgriConnect Sri Lanka’ programme, scheduled to take place on 30 October at TRACE Expert City.

The World Bank delegation provided a comprehensive briefing on the programme and emphasised that Sri Lanka is set to become the first country in South Asia to join this global initiative of the World Bank Group, marking a significant milestone.

Victor Anthonypillai, Senior Country Officer of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Tomas Ricardo Rosada Villamar Practice Manager at the World Bank, Felipe F. Dizon, Senior Economist and Athula Senaratne, Senior Agriculture Specialist, also attended the meeting. The Presidential Secretariat was represented by Senior Assistant Secretary to the President Dr Danushka Perera and Assistant Secretary to the President R. A. Ruwanpathirana.

President’s Media Division (PMD)

News

Prison rules to be revised over monks’ attire

Published

13 hours ago

2026/10/15

Thilina Walpola

Harshana

Appointment of committee eyewash, says UNP

The government is considering changes to prison regulations pertaining to the treatment of Buddhist monks serving jail terms, including their right to wear monastic robes when taken outside prison.

Justice and National Integration Minister Harshana Nanayakkara announced the proposed changes yesterday (14) following the submission of an interim report by a committee appointed to review the rules and procedures governing prisons.

The report was handed over to Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake at the Presidential Secretariat.

One of the key recommendations is to amend Prison Standing Order 356 by introducing a new provision, 356(A). The proposed revision would require prison authorities to consult the Department of Buddhist Affairs on the removal of a monk’s robes upon admission to prison. The Commissioner of Prisons would be allowed 10 days to notify the department and take the necessary steps.

A separate amendment to Departmental Order 550 would allow Buddhist monks to wear their robes whenever they are taken outside prison, unless their respective Nikaya formally requests that the privilege be withdrawn.

The committee has also recommended extending similar arrangements, with suitable modifications, to members of other religious clergy who are imprisoned.

The proposals follow concerns raised over the treatment of Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera after he was taken into custody. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake subsequently held discussions with representatives of the three main Buddhist Nikayas and appointed the committee to examine the existing legal framework.

Nanayakkara said the interim report had been forwarded to the Acting Commissioner General of Prisons, along with instructions to revise the relevant standing orders in accordance with its recommendations.

The proposed amendments have yet to be confirmed as formally implemented.

Meanwhile, the UNP yesterday criticised the government’s decision to appoint a committee to make recommendations on the attire to be worn by imprisoned Buddhist monks and other religious leaders when taken outside prison, describing the move as unnecessary.

In a statement issued yesterday (14), the UNP said the procedures governing the matter were already clearly set out in the Department of Prisons’ Standing Orders, making the appointment of a separate committee unwarranted.

The party cited remarks by Professor G.L. Peiris, Convenor of the Janathawadi Joint Opposition, who had described the committee’s appointment as a

“complete eyewash” and questioned the need for such a move.

Referring to Standing Order 550 of the Prisons Department, the UNP said convicted prisoners appearing before court for legal proceedings should not be required to wear prison uniforms.

It further stated that the regulations allowed prisoners to wear civilian clothing consistent with what they wore before imprisonment, including attire appropriate to their cultural and religious backgrounds.

The UNP accused the government of unnecessarily prolonging the issue by appointing a committee, despite the existence of regulations governing prisoners’ attire.

The party also called on the government to seek forgiveness from the Mahanayake Thera and the Sangha Council of the Kotte Sri Kalyani Samagri Dharma Maha Sangha Sabha of the Siyam Maha Nikaya over the decision concerning the religious attire of Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera.

News

AC President recuses himself from hearing prison attire case pertaining to Gnanasara Thera

Published

13 hours ago

2026/10/15

Thilina Walpola

Court of Appeal President Justice Rohantha Abeysuriya yesterday withdrew from the bench hearing petitions challenging the decision by prison authorities to require Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera to wear prison attire following his imprisonment.

The decision was announced when the petitions seeking to invalidate the prison authorities’ decision were taken up for consideration on October 14.

Following his withdrawal, a three-judge bench was appointed to hear the petitions.

The petitions relate to the prison authorities’ decision to require Gnanasara Thera to wear prison attire after he was taken into custody to serve the remainder of his sentence for contempt of court.

In September this year, the Supreme Court annulled the presidential pardon granted to Gnanasara Thera by former President Maithripala Sirisena in May 2019.

Following the ruling, the Court of Appeal directed the Commissioner General of Prisons to take the necessary steps to enforce the remainder of the monk’s prison sentence.

Gnanasara Thera had originally been sentenced to six years’ imprisonment for contempt of court but had served only around nine months before receiving the presidential pardon in 2019.