Vancouver International film Festival’s (VIFF) Canadian Images session this year opens with a Tamil film ‘1999', made by Lenin M. Sivam, an Eezham Tamil of Canada and a software architect by profession.
Lenin M. Sivam is ecstatic that 1999, his first full-feature film in Tamil has been selected to open the Canadian Images program at this year’s Vancouver Film Festival (VIFF). “Work hard, be creative and passionate about what you are doing, and success will come your way. We are honoured that VIFF has chosen to premiere 1999,” says Sivam. 1999 will be making its world premiere in Vancouver.
Cinema has always been a huge part of the Toronto software architect’s life. His father V.M.L. Sivam was a recognized Sri Lankan Tamil playwright, director and actor. He also admits to spending “20 per cent of my time watching movies.”
Born in Jaffna, Sri Lanka, Sivam was just 14 when he moved to Canada in 1991.
The computer science graduate took some continuing education courses in film from Ryerson University, but is largely a “self-taught” filmmaker. “There is so much information available on the internet that you can learn a lot about the process and techniques on your own,” he says.
Like 1999, his previous short films Iniyavarkal (A Few Good People), Uruthy (Strength) and Pakkathiveedu (The Next Door) also deal with “the challenges faced by the Tamil community in Toronto.” Notably, his first film Iniyavarkal (in 2006), whose theme was arranged marriage, earned him the Best Feature Film of the Year award from the Independent Art Film Society of Toronto.
“Films are my way of getting the Tamil community to look at their problems. Uruthy [from 2007] was about a clinically depressed young man who found the strength to get help for his debilitating illness. Some immigrants feel very lonely and isolated, which can lead to a dangerous form of depression. If they are able to acknowledge their feelings and get the required help, they will be able to overcome all their obstacles and settle in more easily,” he explains.
His film 1999 showcases the violence that affected Toronto’s Tamil community in the 1990s. “Like 23-year-old Anpu in the film, many of them did not choose this way of life knowingly,” he says. “They just got drawn into it and are struggling to get out. I spent two years with them trying to understand their life. This film is an attempt to show the challenges they face while adjusting to their new life in Canada and trying to put the bitter memories of Sri Lanka’s civil war behind them.”
Based on interviews with former gang members and youth workers, 1999 is a montage of seamlessly woven overlapping segments from the main characters’ perspectives. “It was tough, but hard work made it possible. My technique is to make the movie as simple and real as possible. You don’t need a big budget. Besides, digital cameras and computerized editing have made filmmaking much simpler and quicker,” he says.
Sivam adds proudly: “1999 was made on probably the lowest budget in the category. You just have to be creative and make maximum use of your resources.
“We had a team of 50 people, all of whom were volunteers, so schedules had to be strictly followed. Since we had booked the location for two weekends only, we filmed at a stretch — from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. the next day.”
Sivam calls 1999 the film that has made him a professional filmmaker. “Although most of my 20 actors (all under the age of 25) were making their debut, the result is astounding. We all felt that we had achieved something great,” he says. “I am hoping that after its world premiere at VIFF, 1999 will be picked up by a Canadian distributor and shown in other cities especially Toronto.”
Sivam hopes that his success will send a message to other aspiring immigrant filmmakers to go ahead and realize their dreams. “If you are true to your idea and work hard, the sky is the limit. Canadian film festivals like VIFF will present plenty of opportunities to showcase your talent.”
For himself, Sivam now wants to commit to filmmaking full time. “After completing 1999, I am ready to get into filmmaking full time. I think I know how to tell a story that will reach Canadian minds and I have a lot of ideas. I might make a thriller, something that is simple and powerful. Just like M. Night Shyamalan. I believe it’s the story that must engage the audience.”
We need to have the show filled with people in order to retain our standing. Therefore, we need to buy tickets, call friends in Vancouver to buy tickets for this show to make our community successful. Lets buy tickets and show the VIFF community that we are outstanding....