Features
Avatar: The Way of Water – Pure cinematic sorcery by James Cameron
By Tharishi Hewavithanagamage
Thirteen years and billions of dollars later, director James Cameron has brought the much-anticipated sequel, ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ to life! Despite fears of failing at the box office, audiences have agreed that Cameron’s latest work exceeds expectations and pushes boundaries beyond the horizon. Although a sequel was already brewing when ‘Avatar’ was released in 2009 (nearly a decade ago), it was Avatar’s initial success that allowed Cameron to finally fulfill his promise to the fans. Based on ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’, it is apparent that James Cameron has been very busy pushing the very boundaries of cinema with his distinct magic. The film may be punishingly long but compensates with the stunning visual imagery, epic cinematography and mesmerizing world-building. Cameron’s work is a testament to how movies ought to be made in the age of commercial film franchises that often fail to meet the mark.
Jake Sully, who has fully embraced the Na’vi lifestyle. Over the years Sully and his wife Neytiri welcomed four half-Na’vi, half-Avatar children — Neteyam, Lo’ak, Kiri (adopted) and Tuk— and also foster Spider, the biological son of Colonel Miles Quaritch left behind on Pandora. Happiness only lasts for so long when the ‘sky people’ (humans) return to Pandora. Colonel Miles (who was killed previously) returns with an advanced military entourage, this time having transitioned to a Na’vi form, but infused with the late colonel’s memories. He arrives to seek vengeance on Jake for betraying him and soon begins hunting the Sully clan. With targets on their back, Jake and his family are forced to flee and seek shelter with the Metkayina, a water tribe.
The new environment that audiences are introduced to becomes the bedrock of the story. Cameron focuses on exploring the Metkayina tribe are decidedly different from the Na’vi living in the forests of Pandora. The differences among the Pandora’s inhabitants— both in a physical and cultural sense— provide new dimensions to the anthropology of the alien planet. In contrast to the land-based Na’vi the Metkayina have amphibian features and greenish bodies, simply put a physiology suited to living on islands surrounded by water and marine animals. The film goes to great lengths to enhance these details with stunning visual effects and CGI through the second half of the story. The film does not hold back in the visual effects department which is the key to bringing Cameron’s vision to life. Returning to the ocean since ‘Titanic’, James Cameron takes a deep dive into the vast ocean and delivers mesmerising and bold sequences of visuals from start to finish. Cameron was inspired by his love for ocean exploration and the need to bring the magic and mystery of an underwater experience to the big screen. The detailed work is inspired by the oceans on Earth and the communities of beings that live in the deep. Sigourney Weaver, who was significantly de-aged to play a 14 year old, is also proof of the technological advancements today and the hard work put in by the professionals.
Plunging further into the unknown, Cameron worked with Australian cinematographer Pawel Achtel to develop a rig to shoot 3D scenes underwater. The outcome is seen in the crystal clear and hyper realistic visuals that are at times difficult to fathom but completely hypnotising. The movie also pushed the boundaries of the cast, who had to train in free diving methods. Kate Winslet remained underwater for more than seven minutes, accidentally breaking the record held by Tom Cruise.
The movie starts off strong and wastes no time cutting to the chase. However, the plot is spread thin and the story slows down towards the middle. The action picks up in the latter half and is packed with heavy gunfire, crazy stunts and even crazier futuristic tech. In comparison to the first movie, ‘The Way of Water’ promises more emotion from the cast. The young characters played by Jamie Flatters, Britain Dalton, Trinity Jo-Li Bliss, Jack Champion and Bailey Bass are a breath of fresh air. Although technically not a young or new cast member, Sigourney Weaver also adds a great amount of emotion and mystery into playing Kiri. The newly introduced actors Kate Winslet and Cliff Curtis shine as Metkayina leaders Ronal and Tonowari, leading the clan and their family with ferocity and extreme loyalty. Lastly, despite the lengthy runtime characters like Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña and Stephen Lang are significantly given very less to do in comparison to the first movie.
The film mainly focuses on the theme of family, portraying more than one family at a time to give audiences different perspectives. The Sully family, Ronal and Tonowari’s family, the Tulkun (an intelligent species of whale native to Pandora) family and even the bond between Spider and Colonel Miles, all depict different aspects of what it is to be part of a family. It also shows how much people change when their family is under threat and the lengths they would go to in order to protect their own. But the film is more than just about the idea of family. ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ is almost like a nature documentary carrying heavy political themes. ‘Way of Water’ reiterates colonialist ideals much like in the first film. Colonial superiority coupled with greed driven by capitalism, amorality and exploitation of resources is a running theme in the films. With the Earth inhospitable, the humans have resorted to colonising, pillaging and even murdering the thriving alien communities, which are strikingly similar to real world situations. Director James Cameron is not afraid to advance a strong political agenda and share his cynicism of the nature of mankind. Cameron offers audiences the Na’vi lifestyle— the balance between the physical and spiritual realms and the sense of togetherness— as an alternative way of life that can possibly benefit mankind in the long run, should they choose to change.
Director Cameron’s film also explores the themes of xenophobia, assimilation, identity and cultural tolerance. It explores these themes through the Sully family when they are forced to uproot their lives amidst the threat from Colonel Miles and the military personnel. Although the Metkayina leaders Tonowari and Ronal welcome them it is not without suspicion and trepidation. The Sully clan are forced to assimilate to the ways of the water tribe if they wish to survive and receive shelter. They approach the challenge with open minds, but given the physiological differences between the two tribes it is easier said than done to assimilate. From the perspective of the children, who are part Na’vi and part human, it is much harder. They are occasionally bullied by youngsters of the Metkayina tribe and are called ‘freaks’. The change especially puts pressure on Lo’ak and Kiri who are confused about their place among the Na’vi community and go overlooked by their own parents. This storyline reminds audiences of the many individuals and families that migrate and are forced to assimilate in order to create a sense of belonging in a place that is completely alien to them.
Going further, Cameron boldly addresses the environmental harm inflicted on wildlife and ecosystems. The industrial destruction and ecological terrorism inflicted on the lush ecosystems of Pandora are a reminder to audiences of the very real world situations that require more attention from individuals. The graphic and brutal hunt for the Tulkun simply to extract a liquid called ‘amrita’ (that supposedly stops ageing in humans) causes shock and fury, but is also a reminder from Cameron of the reality of things. Tear-jerking as the scenes may be, Cameron wants to spread awareness and he earns praise for successfully tapping into the capacity for moral outrage and for leaving a long-lasting emotional imprint in the minds of the audiences. Beyond the fantastic and immersive details in Cameron’s visual imagery lies a bourgeoning truth.
‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ is a true work of art from James Cameron that explores beyond the horizon and confidently plunges into the depths of the unknown to give audiences an engaging, enjoyable and all-round beautiful film. Although lacking in a strong plot and too many storylines, it captivates the mind and feeds the audiences with lush world-building and immaculate CGI to convey both beauty and darkness of the world. James Cameron has raised the stakes for the characters and for himself to create even greater, mind-bending sequels that are already in the works.
by Dr Gotabhya Ranasinghe
Senior Consultant Cardiologist
National Hospital Sri Lanka
When we sought a meeting with Hon Dr. Ramesh Pathirana, Minister of Health, he graciously cleared his busy schedule to accommodate us. Renowned for his attentive listening and deep understanding, Minister Pathirana is dedicated to advancing the health sector. His openness and transparency exemplify the qualities of an exemplary politician and minister.
Dr. Palitha Mahipala, the current Health Secretary, demonstrates both commendable enthusiasm and unwavering support. This combination of attributes makes him a highly compatible colleague for the esteemed Minister of Health.
Our discussion centered on a project that has been in the works for the past 30 years, one that no other minister had managed to advance.
Minister Pathirana, however, recognized the project’s significance and its potential to revolutionize care for heart patients.
The project involves the construction of a state-of-the-art facility at the premises of the National Hospital Colombo. The project’s location within the premises of the National Hospital underscores its importance and relevance to the healthcare infrastructure of the nation.
This facility will include a cardiology building and a tertiary care center, equipped with the latest technology to handle and treat all types of heart-related conditions and surgeries.
Securing funding was a major milestone for this initiative. Minister Pathirana successfully obtained approval for a $40 billion loan from the Asian Development Bank. With the funding in place, the foundation stone is scheduled to be laid in September this year, and construction will begin in January 2025.
This project guarantees a consistent and uninterrupted supply of stents and related medications for heart patients. As a result, patients will have timely access to essential medical supplies during their treatment and recovery. By securing these critical resources, the project aims to enhance patient outcomes, minimize treatment delays, and maintain the highest standards of cardiac care.
Upon its fruition, this monumental building will serve as a beacon of hope and healing, symbolizing the unwavering dedication to improving patient outcomes and fostering a healthier society.We anticipate a future marked by significant progress and positive outcomes in Sri Lanka’s cardiovascular treatment landscape within the foreseeable timeframe.
by Fr. Emmanuel Fernando, OMI
Jesuit Fr. Aloysius Pieris (affectionately called Fr. Aloy) celebrated his 90th birthday on April 9, 2024 and I, as the editor of our Oblate Journal, THE MISSIONARY OBLATE had gone to press by that time. Immediately I decided to publish an article, appreciating the untiring selfless services he continues to offer for inter-Faith dialogue, the renewal of the Catholic Church, his concern for the poor and the suffering Sri Lankan masses and to me, the present writer.
It was in 1988, when I was appointed Director of the Oblate Scholastics at Ampitiya by the then Oblate Provincial Fr. Anselm Silva, that I came to know Fr. Aloy more closely. Knowing well his expertise in matters spiritual, theological, Indological and pastoral, and with the collaborative spirit of my companion-formators, our Oblate Scholastics were sent to Tulana, the Research and Encounter Centre, Kelaniya, of which he is the Founder-Director, for ‘exposure-programmes’ on matters spiritual, biblical, theological and pastoral. Some of these dimensions according to my view and that of my companion-formators, were not available at the National Seminary, Ampitiya.
Ever since that time, our Oblate formators/ accompaniers at the Oblate Scholasticate, Ampitiya , have continued to send our Oblate Scholastics to Tulana Centre for deepening their insights and convictions regarding matters needed to serve the people in today’s context. Fr. Aloy also had tried very enthusiastically with the Oblate team headed by Frs. Oswald Firth and Clement Waidyasekara to begin a Theologate, directed by the Religious Congregations in Sri Lanka, for the contextual formation/ accompaniment of their members. It should very well be a desired goal of the Leaders / Provincials of the Religious Congregations.
Besides being a formator/accompanier at the Oblate Scholasticate, I was entrusted also with the task of editing and publishing our Oblate journal, ‘The Missionary Oblate’. To maintain the quality of the journal I continue to depend on Fr. Aloy for his thought-provoking and stimulating articles on Biblical Spirituality, Biblical Theology and Ecclesiology. I am very grateful to him for his generous assistance. Of late, his writings on renewal of the Church, initiated by Pope St. John XX111 and continued by Pope Francis through the Synodal path, published in our Oblate journal, enable our readers to focus their attention also on the needed renewal in the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka. Fr. Aloy appreciated very much the Synodal path adopted by the Jesuit Pope Francis for the renewal of the Church, rooted very much on prayerful discernment. In my Religious and presbyteral life, Fr.Aloy continues to be my spiritual animator / guide and ongoing formator / acccompanier.
Fr. Aloysius Pieris, BA Hons (Lond), LPh (SHC, India), STL (PFT, Naples), PhD (SLU/VC), ThD (Tilburg), D.Ltt (KU), has been one of the eminent Asian theologians well recognized internationally and one who has lectured and held visiting chairs in many universities both in the West and in the East. Many members of Religious Congregations from Asian countries have benefited from his lectures and guidance in the East Asian Pastoral Institute (EAPI) in Manila, Philippines. He had been a Theologian consulted by the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences for many years. During his professorship at the Gregorian University in Rome, he was called to be a member of a special group of advisers on other religions consulted by Pope Paul VI.
Fr. Aloy is the author of more than 30 books and well over 500 Research Papers. Some of his books and articles have been translated and published in several countries. Among those books, one can find the following: 1) The Genesis of an Asian Theology of Liberation (An Autobiographical Excursus on the Art of Theologising in Asia, 2) An Asian Theology of Liberation, 3) Providential Timeliness of Vatican 11 (a long-overdue halt to a scandalous millennium, 4) Give Vatican 11 a chance, 5) Leadership in the Church, 6) Relishing our faith in working for justice (Themes for study and discussion), 7) A Message meant mainly, not exclusively for Jesuits (Background information necessary for helping Francis renew the Church), 8) Lent in Lanka (Reflections and Resolutions, 9) Love meets wisdom (A Christian Experience of Buddhism, 10) Fire and Water 11) God’s Reign for God’s poor, 12) Our Unhiddden Agenda (How we Jesuits work, pray and form our men). He is also the Editor of two journals, Vagdevi, Journal of Religious Reflection and Dialogue, New Series.
Fr. Aloy has a BA in Pali and Sanskrit from the University of London and a Ph.D in Buddhist Philosophy from the University of Sri Lankan, Vidyodaya Campus. On Nov. 23, 2019, he was awarded the prestigious honorary Doctorate of Literature (D.Litt) by the Chancellor of the University of Kelaniya, the Most Venerable Welamitiyawe Dharmakirthi Sri Kusala Dhamma Thera.
Fr. Aloy continues to be a promoter of Gospel values and virtues. Justice as a constitutive dimension of love and social concern for the downtrodden masses are very much noted in his life and work. He had very much appreciated the commitment of the late Fr. Joseph (Joe) Fernando, the National Director of the Social and Economic Centre (SEDEC) for the poor.
In Sri Lanka, a few religious Congregations – the Good Shepherd Sisters, the Christian Brothers, the Marist Brothers and the Oblates – have invited him to animate their members especially during their Provincial Congresses, Chapters and International Conferences. The mainline Christian Churches also have sought his advice and followed his seminars. I, for one, regret very much, that the Sri Lankan authorities of the Catholic Church –today’s Hierarchy—- have not sought Fr.
Aloy’s expertise for the renewal of the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka and thus have not benefited from the immense store of wisdom and insight that he can offer to our local Church while the Sri Lankan bishops who governed the Catholic church in the immediate aftermath of the Second Vatican Council (Edmund Fernando OMI, Anthony de Saram, Leo Nanayakkara OSB, Frank Marcus Fernando, Paul Perera,) visited him and consulted him on many matters. Among the Tamil Bishops, Bishop Rayappu Joseph was keeping close contact with him and Bishop J. Deogupillai hosted him and his team visiting him after the horrible Black July massacre of Tamils.
Sri Lanka-Singapore Free Trade Agreement
By Gomi Senadhira
senadhiragomi@gmail.com
“You might tell fairy tales, but the progress of a country cannot be achieved through such narratives. A country cannot be developed by making false promises. The country moved backward because of the electoral promises made by political parties throughout time. We have witnessed that the ultimate result of this is the country becoming bankrupt. Unfortunately, many segments of the population have not come to realize this yet.” – President Ranil Wickremesinghe, 2024 Budget speech
Any Sri Lankan would agree with the above words of President Wickremesinghe on the false promises our politicians and officials make and the fairy tales they narrate which bankrupted this country. So, to understand this, let’s look at one such fairy tale with lots of false promises; Ranil Wickremesinghe’s greatest achievement in the area of international trade and investment promotion during the Yahapalana period, Sri Lanka-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (SLSFTA).
It is appropriate and timely to do it now as Finance Minister Wickremesinghe has just presented to parliament a bill on the National Policy on Economic Transformation which includes the establishment of an Office for International Trade and the Sri Lanka Institute of Economics and International Trade.
Was SLSFTA a “Cleverly negotiated Free Trade Agreement” as stated by the (former) Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade Malik Samarawickrama during the Parliamentary Debate on the SLSFTA in July 2018, or a colossal blunder covered up with lies, false promises, and fairy tales? After SLSFTA was signed there were a number of fairy tales published on this agreement by the Ministry of Development Strategies and International, Institute of Policy Studies, and others.
However, for this article, I would like to limit my comments to the speech by Minister Samarawickrama during the Parliamentary Debate, and the two most important areas in the agreement which were covered up with lies, fairy tales, and false promises, namely: revenue loss for Sri Lanka and Investment from Singapore. On the other important area, “Waste products dumping” I do not want to comment here as I have written extensively on the issue.
1. The revenue loss
During the Parliamentary Debate in July 2018, Minister Samarawickrama stated “…. let me reiterate that this FTA with Singapore has been very cleverly negotiated by us…. The liberalisation programme under this FTA has been carefully designed to have the least impact on domestic industry and revenue collection. We have included all revenue sensitive items in the negative list of items which will not be subject to removal of tariff. Therefore, 97.8% revenue from Customs duty is protected. Our tariff liberalisation will take place over a period of 12-15 years! In fact, the revenue earned through tariffs on goods imported from Singapore last year was Rs. 35 billion.
The revenue loss for over the next 15 years due to the FTA is only Rs. 733 million– which when annualised, on average, is just Rs. 51 million. That is just 0.14% per year! So anyone who claims the Singapore FTA causes revenue loss to the Government cannot do basic arithmetic! Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, I call on my fellow members of this House – don’t mislead the public with baseless criticism that is not grounded in facts. Don’t look at petty politics and use these issues for your own political survival.”
I was surprised to read the minister’s speech because an article published in January 2018 in “The Straits Times“, based on information released by the Singaporean Negotiators stated, “…. With the FTA, tariff savings for Singapore exports are estimated to hit $10 million annually“.
As the annual tariff savings (that is the revenue loss for Sri Lanka) calculated by the Singaporean Negotiators, Singaporean $ 10 million (Sri Lankan rupees 1,200 million in 2018) was way above the rupees’ 733 million revenue loss for 15 years estimated by the Sri Lankan negotiators, it was clear to any observer that one of the parties to the agreement had not done the basic arithmetic!
Six years later, according to a report published by “The Morning” newspaper, speaking at the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) on 7th May 2024, Mr Samarawickrama’s chief trade negotiator K.J. Weerasinghehad had admitted “…. that forecasted revenue loss for the Government of Sri Lanka through the Singapore FTA is Rs. 450 million in 2023 and Rs. 1.3 billion in 2024.”
If these numbers are correct, as tariff liberalisation under the SLSFTA has just started, we will pass Rs 2 billion very soon. Then, the question is how Sri Lanka’s trade negotiators made such a colossal blunder. Didn’t they do their basic arithmetic? If they didn’t know how to do basic arithmetic they should have at least done their basic readings. For example, the headline of the article published in The Straits Times in January 2018 was “Singapore, Sri Lanka sign FTA, annual savings of $10m expected”.
Anyway, as Sri Lanka’s chief negotiator reiterated at the COPF meeting that “…. since 99% of the tariffs in Singapore have zero rates of duty, Sri Lanka has agreed on 80% tariff liberalisation over a period of 15 years while expecting Singapore investments to address the imbalance in trade,” let’s turn towards investment.
Investment from Singapore
In July 2018, speaking during the Parliamentary Debate on the FTA this is what Minister Malik Samarawickrama stated on investment from Singapore, “Already, thanks to this FTA, in just the past two-and-a-half months since the agreement came into effect we have received a proposal from Singapore for investment amounting to $ 14.8 billion in an oil refinery for export of petroleum products. In addition, we have proposals for a steel manufacturing plant for exports ($ 1 billion investment), flour milling plant ($ 50 million), sugar refinery ($ 200 million). This adds up to more than $ 16.05 billion in the pipeline on these projects alone.
And all of these projects will create thousands of more jobs for our people. In principle approval has already been granted by the BOI and the investors are awaiting the release of land the environmental approvals to commence the project.
I request the Opposition and those with vested interests to change their narrow-minded thinking and join us to develop our country. We must always look at what is best for the whole community, not just the few who may oppose. We owe it to our people to courageously take decisions that will change their lives for the better.”
According to the media report I quoted earlier, speaking at the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) Chief Negotiator Weerasinghe has admitted that Sri Lanka was not happy with overall Singapore investments that have come in the past few years in return for the trade liberalisation under the Singapore-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement. He has added that between 2021 and 2023 the total investment from Singapore had been around $162 million!
What happened to those projects worth $16 billion negotiated, thanks to the SLSFTA, in just the two-and-a-half months after the agreement came into effect and approved by the BOI? I do not know about the steel manufacturing plant for exports ($ 1 billion investment), flour milling plant ($ 50 million) and sugar refinery ($ 200 million).
However, story of the multibillion-dollar investment in the Petroleum Refinery unfolded in a manner that would qualify it as the best fairy tale with false promises presented by our politicians and the officials, prior to 2019 elections.
Though many Sri Lankans got to know, through the media which repeatedly highlighted a plethora of issues surrounding the project and the questionable credentials of the Singaporean investor, the construction work on the Mirrijiwela Oil Refinery along with the cement factory began on the24th of March 2019 with a bang and Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and his ministers along with the foreign and local dignitaries laid the foundation stones.
That was few months before the 2019 Presidential elections. Inaugurating the construction work Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said the projects will create thousands of job opportunities in the area and surrounding districts.
The oil refinery, which was to be built over 200 acres of land, with the capacity to refine 200,000 barrels of crude oil per day, was to generate US$7 billion of exports and create 1,500 direct and 3,000 indirect jobs. The construction of the refinery was to be completed in 44 months. Four years later, in August 2023 the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by President Ranil Wickremesinghe to cancel the agreement with the investors of the refinery as the project has not been implemented! Can they explain to the country how much money was wasted to produce that fairy tale?
It is obvious that the President, ministers, and officials had made huge blunders and had deliberately misled the public and the parliament on the revenue loss and potential investment from SLSFTA with fairy tales and false promises.
As the president himself said, a country cannot be developed by making false promises or with fairy tales and these false promises and fairy tales had bankrupted the country. “Unfortunately, many segments of the population have not come to realize this yet”.
(The writer, a specialist and an activist on trade and development issues . )
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
