Suranga Katugampala's 'Still Here' Blends Milan and Colombo in a Dark Fairy Tale
Suranga Katugampala's film 'Still Here' premiered at Rome's Cinema Adriano as part of Alice nella Città and the Festa del Cinema di Roma. The film is a dark fairy tale exploring the disappearance of a woman named Nico, set against the gentrifying neighborhoods of Corvetto in Milan and Slave Island in Colombo. Katugampala, born in Negombo in 1987, uses real urban spaces—Corvetto's housing projects and Colombo's Rio Cinema—to create a personal geography. The film incorporates footage from Joe D'Amato's 'Nathalik's Love' and references directors like Tsai Ming-liang and Miguel Gomes. Shot during Sri Lanka's 2022 financial crisis and political upheaval, the production faced blackouts and protests. Katugampala emphasizes a pluralistic, anarchic approach to cinema, contrasting with mainstream Italian filmmaking. The film is produced by 5e6 film with Rai Cinema, co-produced by Subobscura film, in association with Okta Film, in collaboration with Kaiya Collective.
Key facts
- Still Here is a dark fairy tale about the disappearance of Nico.
- The film is set in Corvetto (Milan) and Slave Island (Colombo).
- Suranga Katugampala was born in Negombo, Sri Lanka in 1987.
- The film premiered at Cinema Adriano in Rome during Alice nella Città and Festa del Cinema di Roma.
- Katugampala incorporated footage from Joe D'Amato's Nathalik's Love.
- The Rio Cinema in Colombo, now a dilapidated soft porn theater, features in the film.
- Sri Lanka's 2022 financial crisis and protests affected the shoot.
- The film is produced by 5e6 film with Rai Cinema, co-produced by Subobscura film, in association with Okta Film, in collaboration with Kaiya Collective.
- Producers include Graziano Chiscuzzu, Chiara Budano, and co-producers Suranga D. Katugampala, Georg Tiller, Maéva Ranaïvojaona.
- Katugampala cites influences from Lino Brocka, Indian parallel cinema, and Édouard Glissant's Poetics of Relation.
Entities
Artists
- Suranga Katugampala
- Simona Cella
- Joe D'Amato
- Kelly Trump
- Greta Garbo
- Clarence Brown
- Tsai Ming-liang
- Miguel Gomes
- Lino Brocka
- Hong Sang-soo
- Marie N'Diaye
- Édouard Glissant
- Prasad Hettiarachchi
- Gotabaya Rajapaksa
- Graziano Chiscuzzu
- Chiara Budano
- Georg Tiller
- Maéva Ranaïvojaona
- Paolo Benzi
- Santa Nastro
Institutions
- Artribune
- Alice nella Città
- Festa del Cinema di Roma
- Cinema Adriano
- Rio Cinema
- 5e6 film
- Rai Cinema
- Subobscura film
- Okta Film
- Kaiya Collective
Locations
- Rome
- Italy
- Milan
- Corvetto
- Quartiere Mazzini
- Colombo
- Slave Island
- Sri Lanka
- Negombo
- Port City
- China
- Portugal
- Mozambique
- Malaysia