Experiencing Interruptions?

Demon

An old man narrates that “MAHASONA”, the giant devil attacks humans at isolated places. In order to escape from MAHASONA, victim should walk straight between his legs, chanting MANTHRA.
Mother of the boy arranges a THOWIL, traditional ritual to repel MAHASONA, because she thinks that the boy has been possessed by the spirit of MAHASONA when he returned home after hearing the stories from Old man. Once the ritual is performed, the boy sees the powerful legs of Shaman. It reminds him the horror he experienced between the legs of neighboring relative in the previous night when returning home.

  • Lanka Bandaranayake
    Director
    Tradition(2016) ,Tell I Love Them(2018), Inheritance(2020)
  • Lanka Bandaranayake
    Writer
    Tradition(2016) ,Tell I Love Them(2018), Inheritance(2020)
  • Ransiri Perera
    Writer
  • Lanka Bandaranayake
    Producer
    Tradition(2016) ,Tell I Love Them(2018), Inheritance(2020) [Co-Producer]
  • Hesara Ranmina Kapuge
    Key Cast
  • Nishman Ranasingha
    Key Cast
  • Asanka Sayakkara
    Key Cast
  • Kumudu Kumarasinha
    Key Cast
  • Amaradasa Perera
    Key Cast
  • Amila Kodithuwakku
    Key Cast
  • Chanaka Wijemunige
    Director of Photography
  • Nanda Nandi Jayakody
    Editor
  • Lahiru Madushanka
    Color
  • Prem Jayantha Kapuge
    Make Up
  • Lakma Weerasekara
    Production Design
  • Chaturangi Rasikala Pathirage
    Assistant Director
  • Himashi Moris
    Production Manager
  • Akila Wanigarathne
    VFX
  • Nanda Nandi Jayakody
    Sound Design
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    මහෙසා්නා (Mahasona)
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    8 minutes 56 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    February 14, 2021
  • Production Budget:
    4,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Sri Lanka
  • Country of Filming:
    Sri Lanka
  • Language:
    Sinhala
  • Shooting Format:
    4K
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • Tasveer South Asian Film Festival
    Washington
    United States
    October 17, 2021
    WORLD PREMIERE
  • CANNES CORNER IN CAMMES FILM FESTIVAL
    CANNES
    France
Director Biography - Lanka Bandaranayake

Lanka Bandaranayke, a producer, director and an actress from Sri Lanka. She started her stage drama career in 1998, which she earned several acting and costume designing national awards. Later, she produced and directed the national award-Winning short dramas. Lanka finished her Bachelor of Arts degree (External) in 2016 from the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka and in 2019 she received the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) scholarship for certificate course in filmmaking at the Satyajit Ray Film and Television School in Kolkata. She receives Chevening scholarship in 2021 and currently she is doing her Masters in Film Directing at Bournemouth University in United Kingdom.

Lanka directed, produced and wrote her first short film 'Tradition' in 2016 and the short film was screened more than 50 international film festivals including Open Doors screenings at Locarno Film Festival followed by an international and national award. In 2020, Lanka made her short film “Inheritance” with the partnership of the British council Sri Lanka under the Female Filmmakers First program. She was a jury member for fiction in Sound & Image Challenge International Festival in 2018 and 2019 at Macau, also, she joined as a curator to the same festival in 2019.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

The reports show that nearly 3 to 5 children sexually abuses every day in Sri Lanka. Further it is estimated that up to 1 billion children have experienced physical, sexual, emotional violence or neglect every year, globally.
My intention is to discuss when the traditional and cultural practices used to resolve modern day problems, how could it bring misery to children in that society. The short film will portray the psychological and physical journey the children going through with tragic events and at the end these maltreatment can increase the risk of behavioral, physical and mental health problems in the childhood, and those children may become a victim and/or perpetrator of other forms of violence during adolescence and adulthood.