Chenneth Weeraratne Catches Fire at Sundar Prize Film Festival

InFocus Film School Film Production graduate Chenneth Weeraratne’s passion for film has propelled him into an exciting and successful career, where he has already made significant strides in the industry. One of his most notable achievements is ‘Female and Furious,’ a coming-of-age comedy drama about Rager Rip, “a heated skater who must come to terms with her anger issues in order to join the infamous Storm’s skate gang.” The film has been officially selected as part of the Sundar Prize Film Festival, set to screen in Surrey, BC, on April 11.

“I was drawn to this project when I was approached by Ritisha Jhamb, one of my fellow producers who got me onto it,” Chenneth shares. “Women working in film is something of great importance. A story like this, backed by a predominantly women-led producer team, speaks volumes! Therefore, I was more than happy to provide my support for a project that was both fun and, nevertheless, important!”

Catching Fire in the Indie Film Scene

Beyond ‘Female and Furious’ being screened at Sundar Prize Film Festival, Chenneth co-founded Bonfire Productions alongside Jaida Sanada, Ryan Kwan, and Jonathan Liu.

“After spending many long nights and shoots together in the past year, a thought came to me that maybe we should set a foundation in film that we would have some control over as creatives,” he explains. “Alongside this, my friends and I had been on a camping trip recently. It was when we had spent the night together around a campfire that we came up with ‘Bonfire.’ The meaning behind it lies in our friendship and the passion, empathy, and hard work that we put into all of our projects.”

While ‘Female and Furious’ isn’t a Bonfire project, the company has already produced films like ‘Tucker’s Puppets’ and is currently working on ‘Jinsei No Toki’ and ‘Panorama.’

The Impact of InFocus Film School

Reflecting on his time at InFocus, Chenneth recalls starting as a complete beginner, unsure of the intricacies of filmmaking.

“I had grown up perpetually interested in film and not knowing how it worked. I was a complete beginner when I started my year at the school. However, upon completion of my diploma, I left with so much valuable experience and practice that even years later I have been able to apply with much success! Whether it be knowing how to run a set or deal with issues that arise, I have much of those skills to thank InFocus for!”

One of the greatest lessons Chenneth took from InFocus was the importance of empathy in filmmaking.

“You can be great at something technical or know how to do something the ‘correct’ way, but if you don’t treat people with understanding and the willingness to learn, you’ll soon find out why filmmaking requires a team effort. They don’t say ‘it takes a village’ for nothing!”

Moving Forward with Confidence

Today, Chenneth continues to thrive, taking on leadership roles within the filmmaking community, including serving as VP of Productions for UBC’s IndieVision film collective. “IndieVision acts as a platform for people to connect in film and learn about new opportunities, access workshops, panels, and other film events. It has allowed people such as myself to find projects to take on and be a part of a welcoming and thriving film community!”

His advice to aspiring filmmakers? “Believe in what it is you want. I spent many years doubting myself within a film context until I was able to surround myself with people that uplifted me. However, at the end of the day, it took me recognizing that I was responsible for what I achieved that brought me to where I am today!”

 

InFocus Film School alumnus Shanthini Balasubramanian’s film Velvet Secrets is also screening as part of Sundar Prize Film Festival!

Read more about our Film Production Program.