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by: Fernando Fernandez
It was the theme of the day as a photographer told me during the Reel World Film Festival awards brunch at Brassaii that no matter how much you spend on your equipment to film or shoot, it is your vision that is priceless. This hold true for director Lenin Sivam who was new to the filmmaking industry as with most of the people involved in this movie and wasn’t playing with a big budget. They called themselves “amateurs” during a Q and A session after the film was shown at Canada Square but the thing that brought this film to gain such a worldwide appeal is their passion. Their lack of experience became a non-factor as the messages from the movie 1999 came across in such a fine way and in more ways than one would expect from a directorial debut from Lenin Sivam.
1999 is a film that truly represents the mandate of the Reel World Film Festival as it shows how the Tamil community especially the young who are involved in gangs who can never get away from the violence that persecutes their people in their country. Not only does this hits home but the harsh world that the youth in Toronto have to go through was elegantly portrayed in the movie. Its elegant because it captures all the traits that are involved in gang warfare such as levels of trust, anxiety, intensity and being dangerous. Above all the gangs they belong in is perhaps the only sense of belonging they feel in their lives despite loving parents who give their children their all. Like what Lenin Sivam says, the characters in this movie are missing something in their lives
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1999 does not miss out in putting all the elements that it takes to make an excellent film. There are several love stories behind the betrayal and violence that occurs in the movie. Anpu who is played by Suthan Mahalingam and Akilan played by Kaandee Kana struggle and compete throughout the movie for the love of Geetha who is brilliantly not shown in the movie to symbolize the missing elements of these characters’ lives. The portrayal of love is truthfully filmed between the men who are involved in these gangs as gang leader Kumar, played by Thelepan Somasegaram, struggles to protect his biological brother Jeevan played by, Jeron Thanabalasigam, from the law which means a bad plot for his gang brother Anpu. Above all, the love between Anpu and his father is such a real portrayal of the strong and intense love a father and son can have living in a violent world in Toronto.
Besides all these intense and anxious moments in the film, Lenin Sivam is brilliant for adding the important element of comedy. Mathan played by Vince Jerad does not speak Tamil but definitely understands the language and only speaks English throughout the course of the film. He is of course hilarious throughout the movie and eases up the tension. Its comedic because it holds so true for some of us visible minorities in the city of Toronto who only speak English but never their own country’s language. This of course is truly Canadian.
What holds true in the film 1999 which follows the heart of Canadian filmmaking, the goals of the Reel World Film Festival and the pride of the Tamil film community is the drive and the work ethic involved in getting the message across to its viewers. As Lenin Sivam says, the film 1999 was not filmed Hollywood style and of course in this film, all the bells and whistles were not needed to make this movie have any impact on its viewers. It was the perspective and the vision of Lenin Sivam that truly mattered which is another amazing story in itself. When you start to feel for or empathize with the some of the characters in this movie, you definitely know that its quality air time.