August Drizzle

(Nikini vassa)

by Aruna Jayawardana

Sri Lanka

Director: Aruna Jayawardana

Script: Aruna Jayawardana

Cinematographer: Channa Deshapriya

Editing: Jeevantha Devapriya

Sound: Lalith Wasantha

Music: Nadeka Guruge

Cast: Chandami Senevirathne, Jagath Manuwarna, Bimal Jayakodi, Thumindu Dodantanna

Production: Induwara Roo, Dr Kusumsiri de Silva

Contact:
Tel: +94773517470
Mail: [email protected]

Year: 2011

35 mm, Colour, 108 min, 
OV Singhalese with Englis Subtitles
French Electronic Subtitles

European Premiere

People in the dry zone of Sri Lanka do not look forward to the month of August with a great deal of optimism. Affected by drought, everyone prays for a drop of water on the dry soil. It is a month fill with hope. Month of August is called the month of Nikini. The "August Drizzle" named Nikini Vassa is indeed a deceitful drizzle that never kisses the earth. Somlatha is a businesswoman and mortician. From the moment a person die, she takes over. She is capable of carrying out every aspect of the process as transportation of the body, embalming and caske ting. Her community shuns her, as society considers her profession a cursed and unclean one. Fellow villagers avoid her when they can. Everybody seems to have forgotten that they themselves would one day die and be handled by her. She leads a lonely life, defined by a dark lifestyle. Not for her, are love, affection, marriage and children. She has a business to run and must devise innovative ways to attract new clients, much to the chagrin of her male competitors.