Machan

Based on a true story, MACHAN is a gentle comedy about the efforts of impoverished Sri Lankans to escape to an imagined better life in Europe. Manoj is a bartender at a fancy Colombo hotel catering to westerners; his pal Stanley sells oranges on the street in an unsuccessful attempt to make ends meet. They have extended families depending on them, but the wolves are at the door. The neighborhood is being torn apart as many seek labor in Europe. When creditors actually take the roof from over the heads of his aunties and his streetwise little brother, Stanley grasps at straws. He finds a handbill with news of an upcoming German invitational handball tournament, and, with the help of 16 of his friends and enemies, Stanley decides to form the Sri Lankan National Handball team. Local thieves and forgers come together to produce illegal documentation, and soon the motley crew is off to Bavaria, with no clue how to play handball or make a living in a strange land. An excellent ensemble cast highlights the difficulties faced by have-nots in today's global economy. (In Sinhala with English subtitles) – B.B.