Negombo 1952

The lifestyle and industry of the Negombo population of Sri Lanka takes centre stage in this short documentary produced through the Government's Department of Information. It shows a traditional maritime community going about a daily routine in which fishing is key. From using their small wooden single-sail boats which look very much like the Chinese junks, to an herding technique where they virtually drag shoals of fish from the sea using brute strength and a circular net, we follow a daily regimen that is even routinely blessed by the local priest. The island's beauty and the collaborative spirit amongst the population is well conveyed here and though clearly the purpose of this film is to show us an idyllic environment, so that "perfection" must be considered when watching, this is a still and engaging and fascinating retrospective on a people whose lives have probably been the same for centuries, that balances their own needs with that of the nature surrounding them and that exists entirely without any aspects of modern technology.

— CinemaSerf