Natural Justice

The first woman Chief Justice of Sri Lanka faces off against an autocratic President with unfettered power. An impeachment, persecution and the collapse of a Government ensues.

  • Shaveen Bandaranayake
    Director
    It Can Wait
  • Shaveen Bandaranayake
    Producer
    It Can Wait
  • Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake
    Key Cast
    "Herself"
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Runtime:
    19 minutes 2 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    January 15, 2019
  • Country of Origin:
    Sri Lanka
  • Country of Filming:
    Sri Lanka
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital 4K
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Shaveen Bandaranayake

Shaveen Bandaranayake is a filmmaker and lecturer in Law, based in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Shaveen finds documentary work both rewarding and able to effect change in society and has focused primarily on work targeting legal education, politics and social good. 'Natural Justice' is Shaveen's first documentary short, having witnessed first hand the impeachment saga of the first woman Chief Justice of Sri Lanka as a 22-year-old Law student in late 2012. Natural Justice is as much a critique on the changes in the lives of Sri Lankans post-impeachment as it is a personal journey for the filmmaker.

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Director Statement

"Natural Justice is a story I've wanted to bring to the screen for 4 years. It's a story of a voice unheard, amidst much chaos. During the contraversial impeachment of the Chief Justice back in 2012, the voices we heard were of the Government and the Media. Thus, the narrative of what happened was through their lens, creating an extremely divided nation. This film aims to 'bridge', what I felt was a gap. A narrative of the subject herself, Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake - unfiltered and in the most candid and personal way possible. Not as the Former Chief Justice, the Former 4th Citizen of Sri Lanka. But as a mother, husband, sister and daughter" - Shaveen Bandaranayake