Me Mage Sandai
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Me Mage Sandai
මෙය මගේ සඳයි
| image = Me Mage Sandai poster.jpg
| director = Asoka Handagama
| writer = Asoka Handagama
| producer = Upul Jayasinghe
| starring = Saumya Liyanage
Dilhani Ekanayake
W. Jayasiri
| music = Rohana Weerasinghe
| cinematography = Channa Deshapriya
| editing = Ravindra Guruge
| studio =
| distributor =
| released = {{Film date|2000| | |London Film Festival|2000|8 |10 |Sri Lanka}}
| runtime = 102 minutes{{cite news|title=Me Mage Sandai|url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/232905/Me-Mage-Sandai/overview|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080605235018/http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/232905/Me-Mage-Sandai/overview|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 June 2008|department=Movies & TV Dept.|work=The New York Times|author=Mark Deming|date=2008|access-date=6 December 2012}}
| country = Sri Lanka
| language = Sinhala
| gross =
| italic_title =
| budget =
}}
Me Mage Sandai (This is My Moon) ({{langx|si|මෙය මගේ සඳයි|italic=yes}}) is a 2001 Sri Lankan Sinhala drama film directed by Asoka Handagama and produced by Upul Jayasinghe for Nilwala Films. It stars Dilhani Ekanayake and Saumya Liyanage in lead roles along with W. Jayasiri and Linton Semage. Music composed by Rohana Weerasinghe.{{cite web |url=http://www.island.lk/2001/09/16/featur05.html |title=Me Mage Sandai: what it is and is not |newspaper=The Island |access-date=11 March 2017}}{{cite web |url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/010805/tv.html#5 |title='Me Mage Sandai' breaks all traditions |newspaper=The Sunday Times |access-date=11 March 2017}} It is the 961st film in the Sri Lankan cinema.{{cite web | url=http://www.nfc.gov.lk/films-history.php | title=Sri Lanka Cinema History | publisher=National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka | access-date=3 October 2016}}
International screening
The second screening of the film was held at the Elphinstone Theatre, at 4.00 and 7.00 pm on 2 August 2001.{{cite web |url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/010819/tv.html |title='Me Mage Sandai' at the Elphinstone |newspaper=Sunday Times |access-date=27 November 2019}}{{cite web |url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/010909/tv.html |title='Me Mage Sandai' spins to the top |newspaper=Sunday Times |access-date=27 November 2019}} The film represented Tokyo international film festival. It also screened at Cheirs Du Cinema, Autumn film festival in Paris as the inaugural film.{{cite web |url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/011028/tv.html |title=Rare honour for 'Me Mage Sandai' |newspaper=Sunday Times |access-date=27 November 2019}}
Plot
A Sinhalese soldier (Saumya Liyanage) fighting against rebels struggling for Tamil independence is left behind by his company one night. While hiding in a bunker, he's discovered by a Tamil woman (Dilhani Ekanayake), who eventually get sexually abused by him. Due to stockholm syndrome, she proceeds to follow the soldier after he comes to the realization that his company isn't coming back, and he decides to leave the fighting behind and return home.
However, the soldier's return doesn't bring much joy to his village—his family, who imagined he was dead, was counting on his pension to help them dig their way out of poverty, while his fiancée refuses to have anything to do with a deserter. With no one willing to help him in his village, in his despair, the soldier finds himself turning to the Tamil woman for affection.{{cite web|title=Me Mage Sandai|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWd68EfGBJg|publisher=YouTube|access-date=9 December 2012}}
Cast
=Awards=
- 2001 Singapore International Film Festival{{cite web|title=Singapore International Film Festival|website=IMDb |url=https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000610/2001|access-date=6 December 2012}}
- SFC Young Cinema Award{{cite web |url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/010506/tv.html |title='Me Mage Sandai' wins S'pore Award |newspaper=Sunday Times |access-date=27 November 2019}}
- NETPAC/FIPRESCI
- 2001 Tokyo International Film Festival{{cite web|title=Tokyo International Film Festival|website=IMDb |url=https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000655/2001|access-date=6 December 2012}}
- Asian Film Award - Special Mention