The Song of Ceylon

The Song of Ceylon
Directed by	Basil Wright
Written by	Robert Knox (sailor) (commentary, excerpt from "An Historical Relation of Ceylon")
Produced by	John Grierson (producer)
Starring	See below
Narrated by	Lionel Wendt
Cinematography	Basil Wright John Taylor
Edited by	Basil Wright
Music by	Walter Leigh
Running time	38 minutes
Country	UK
Language	English

The Song of Ceylon is a 1934 British documentary film directed by Basil Wright and produced by John Grierson for the Ceylon Tea Propaganda Board.

The film was shot on location in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) at the start of 1934 and completed at the GPO film studios in Blackheath London.

Digitized versions of the film are available to watch online on youtube and via the Colonial Film: Moving Images of the British Empire website. See the links below.

The youtube version is low quality in comparison to the version on the Colonial Film site.

A DVD version of the film is available from the British Film Institute as part of their award winning GPO DVD series.

Plot summary

Ambitious documentary chronicling the cultural life and religious customs of the Sinhalese and the effects of advanced industrialism on such customs.

Cast

• Lionel Wendt as Narrator (voice)

References

• Colonial Film: Moving Images of the British Empire Entry for Song of Ceylon.
• Screenonline Entry for Song of Ceylon.

External links

• Watch The Film Online at the Colonial Film: Moving Images of the British Empire Website
• The Song of Ceylon at IMDb
• The Song of Ceylon is available for free viewing and download at the Internet Archive