by Melani Manel Perera

The winners thank the Church for the invitation to analyze and improve society, pointing to new paths to Christ. Art forms are a “powerful” means to create a better world. Mahinda Namal, Kithusara editor, points out the inseparable link between religion and artist.

Negombo (AsiaNews) - "We thank the Church for the advice and encouragement" aimed at analyzing today's society "in depth" and "improving" it, by indicating new paths to "recognizing Jesus, the living God, and present him to the community". These the words of the winners of the 2010 edition of Electronic Art Festival, an event on new media in Sri Lanka organized by the Catholic group Kithusara on the theme "Jesus today."

The final was held the evening of December 12 at Rukmani Devi Memorial Hall, Negombo (a town 40 km north of the capital Colombo) in the presence of a large audience of Catholics, priests and nuns and friends of the group. Three special guests enriched the event: Dharmasiri Bandaranayake the famous director, Andrew Jayamanne and the popular actress – herself a Catholic - Neeta Fernando. The winners of the 2010 edition of the festival dedicated to new media are: the Rev. Nishan Chandana in the documentary section, Priyantha Meegoda, Naveen Fonseka, Priori Niranjan, Subhash Buddhika for photography and Suhada Jayamanne, Jude Samantha, Denzil Fernando for short films. Seven young people received a certificate of participation.

Fr. Sherad Jayawardane explains the aims of the creation of an event dedicated to new media. "The forms of art - he stresses - are powerful means to change society and create a better world." The priest adds that they encourage "the recognition of Jesus among the outcasts of today and those who struggle for justice, peace, truth." The Kithusara group organized the festival, while promoting other events dedicated to schools and open to the public in the areas of short films, documentaries, television, photography, Power Point presentations and visual forms.

The Rev. Nishan Chandana, a native of the Kandawala area and winner in the documentary category, tells AsiaNews that the organizers efforts are to be applauded because they help "to open our eyes" to the world and to Christ, a goal "we are still far from achieving”. Jude Samantha has presented a documentary and a short film - "My father" and "Ahimi" (A loss) - only based on the figure of his father, won two awards. The director intends to carry out other works to "let children know the figure of Jesus."

Mahinda Namal, editor of the newspaper Kithusara, and the group’s spokesperson, addressing the crowd confirmed that the purpose of art is the salvation of mankind. "It should always be a connection - he explains - between religion and the artist," whose job is to "make society and the world a better place."

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