Amid Sri Lanka's ethnic conflict, opposing ethnic groups, war victims, and individuals with disabilities came together as one.
Document 1 International Human Rights Film Festival (Glasgow Scotland 2003) Opening film
| 【Contents】 | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Page Top |
| 2 | Trailer |
| 3 | Overview |
4 |
Commentary |
| 5 | Cast & Staff |
| 6 | Watch the film｜Free |
| 7 | More... |
Trailer
Overview
2001. Three months after the September 11 attacks in the United States.
In Sri Lanka, the armed Tamil separatist group, “the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)”, and the Sinhalese-led Sri Lankan government were locked in an ethnic conflict that had lasted over 20 years. Amidst this turmoil, a dance theater company called the “ Butterfly Theatre Company" was founded.
The members included former Sri Lankan soldiers who had fought against the LTTE, Tamil women who had lost their siblings or children to the civil war, people who became disabled because of the war, and individuals born with disabilities….
Moreover, everyone had different religious beliefs—Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and more.
Despite these differences, this company sought to create art together rather than allowing their differences to divide them.
In December 2001, they invited directors Wolfgang Stange and Julian Crouch from abroad, along with Sri Lankan director Rohana Deva, and began work on a new production.
The documentary film, "Where the butterflies are dancing," follows how people from diverse ethnicities, religions, and backgrounds lived together, rehearsed, and performed a piece based on their experiences in the civil war.
It quietly examines how theater can function as a weapon of peace in the face of adversity like a civil war.
Commentary
The Sri Lankan Civil War came to an end in May 2009 when the government forces captured the stronghold of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), an armed anti-government group, and killed the LTTE’s supreme leader.
This brought an end to the civil war that had lasted 26 years.
◯Sign Language Part in the film
There are scenes in the film that are narrated only in sign language.
The content of these scenes is as follows:
There is a boy who is a son of fisherman. He thought that money could buy happiness. He starts to sell fish on the road. But He can’t get enough money from that. So he joined army to earn money. He killed lots of people and got money. But he could not feel he is happy. After that he did all kind of dirty job to earn money. Then he becomes rich man. He can eat anything what he wants. He can be with beautiful women. But he could not feel happiness.
Cast & Staff
| Cast: | Butterfly Theatre Company, Wolfgang Stange, Julian Crouch, Rohana Deva |
|---|---|
Voice: |
Go Nonaka |
| Production: | Landscape co.ltd. |
| Cinematographer: | Go Nonaka |
| Director: | Go Nonaka |
| English Subtitle | 60min | 2002 (Origina|), 2025(Dogotally Remansered) | Japan | |
on the video control bar for full-screen display.