Film
In a coastal village in southern Sri Lanka, a community comes together to resurface ancestral ocean stories long eroded by colonization.
Blending our oral storytelling traditions with animation, Our Storied Ocean is a collective act of remembering and reimagining, and an invitation to re-story our relationship with the ocean in a time of climate crisis.
Our Storied Ocean also contributes to the decolonization of documentary practice itself. This is not a film that “captures” a community through an outsider’s lens. It is made with the community, in relationship, with care and co-authorship at its foundation. Through a blend of documentary film and animated storytelling, it invites viewers to reimagine a world where our ancestral knowledge is honoured.
Our film invites viewers to feel the ocean as our ancestors once did: with wonder, humility, and awe. It reminds us that we are not separate from the ocean but shaped by it. Ultimately, Our Storied Ocean is a call to listen deeply, to honour the stories that have carried us, and to imagine futures where we are one with the ocean.
Film Team
Ishani Jayamaha – Writer / Director / Producer
Ishani is an independent Sri Lankan filmmaker committed to storytelling that drives social and environmental impact. As a Fulbright scholar, and a Doctoral Scholar in film she mentors emerging storytellers and leads creative research and development.
Ishani founded BreakingWalls Productions, a youth-led production company that empowers women and minority communities to tell their stories for social and environmental justice. Her work addresses issues such as human trafficking, gender stereotyping, child labour, and LGBTQ healthcare. Her focus shifted toward environmental narratives while serving as Country Communication Strategist for Sustainable Development for Sri Lanka. Ishani’s current work explores multispecies ethnographic filmmaking, indigenous filmmaking, oral storytelling traditions and human-nature relationships.
Sumuditha Wariyapola – Producer
Sumuditha is a first-time film producer, bringing a unique blend of creativity and practical skills to Our Storied Ocean. A musician at heart and an IT professional by day, Sumuditha’s deep-rooted connection to the community and his knowledge of local history, music, and oral storytelling make him an integral part of the project. His strong organisational abilities, resourcefulness, and commitment to the vision of the film help keep the production on track and within budget. Sumuditha approaches producing with heart and dedication, grounding the film in both cultural authenticity and practical efficiency.
Priyan Jayamaha – Animator
Priyan is an award-winning animator and educator whose short film Time for Change was recognised at the Aspen Film Festival in 2013. Priyan was born in Kathaluwa where this film takes place and moved to Aotearoa for higher studies. As an Animation Lecturer at Yoobee College of Creative Innovation, he specialises in using animation to create engaging educational tools that support learning in history and conservation. For Our Storied Ocean, Priyan leads the development of animated sequences that bring ancestral oceanic narratives to life. His expertise ensures the film’s animations remain culturally respectful, and visually compelling.