SXSW Competition Title, Sri Lanka-Set ‘Ben and Suzanne,’ Unveils First Clip (EXCLUSIVE)
variety.comNaman Ramachandran Feature debutant writer-director Shaun Seneviratne has unveiled the first clip of “Ben and Suzanne, A Reunion in 4 Parts,” which will world premiere at SXSW in the narrative feature competition.
Starring Sathya Sridharan (“The Whale”) and Anastasia Olowin (“Tourists”), the film is set in Sri Lanka, the land of Seneviratne’s heritage.
The actors play the characters Ben Santhanaraj and Suzanne Hopper in a romantic reunion turned unconventional adventure in a hilarious yet amorous journey across the country.
The film boasts a diverse range of inspirations including the Comedies and Proverbs film series by Eric Rohmer, Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining,” Ernst Lubitsch’s “The Shop Around the Corner,” John Cassavetes’ “Minnie and Moskowitz,” Leos Carax’s “The Lovers on the Bridge,” Jean-Luc Godard’s Pierrot le fou and the Miranda and Steve strand of “Sex and the City.” On the inspiration for the film Seneviratne says, “I was in a long distance relationship in 2009.
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