Sri Lankan cinema encompasses the Sri Lankan film industry. It is a fledgling industry that has struggled to find a footing since its inauguration in 1947 with Kadawunu Poronduwa produced by S. M. Nayagam of Chitra Kala Movietone. Sri Lankan films are usually made in Sinhala and Tamil, the dominant languages of the country.
Udaya Prasanna Vithanage is widely regarded as one of the most talented and influential filmmakers in South Asia. He is known for thought-provoking films that often deals with social, political and cultural issues. His films have received numerous awards accolades, both locally and internationally and have been praised for their innovative storytelling.
The Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC) is a worldwide organization of 29 member countries. It was created as the result of a conference on Asian cinema organized by Cinemaya, the Asian Film Quarterly, in New Delhi in 1990 at the instance and with the support of UNESCO, Paris.
Vasantha Obeysekera, was a Sri Lankan film director and screenwriter.
Iranganie Roxanna Meedeniya, popularly known as Iranganie Serasinghe, is an actress in Sri Lankan cinema, theater and television. Since her debut in Rekava, Serasinghe has become recognized for playing motherly figures in various films and television serials. She is the aunt of President Ranil Wickramasinghe.
Malaka Dewapriya (Sinhala: මාලක දේවප්රිය, IPA:[maːləkədeːʋaprijə] is a Sri Lankan film maker, visual artist, Sinhala Radio Play writer, short film and video director.
Sanjeewa Pushpakumara is a Sri Lankan film director, screenwriter and producer.
With You, Without You is a 2012 Sri Lankan film written and directed by prolific Sri Lankan filmmaker Prasanna Vithanage, and produced by Lasantha Navaratne, Mohammad Adamaly and Prasanna Vithanage for Akar Films. It stars Shyam Fernando and Anjali Patil in lead roles with Maheshwari Ratnam and Wasantha Moragoda. Music composed by Lakshman Joseph De Saram.
Dasun Pathirana [Sinhala]), is a model and an award-winning actor in Sri Lankan cinema, theater and television. He won an award at Indie Fest 2014 as best actor in a leading role. He received his first Sarasaviya award in 2018.
Dulani Anuradha is a Sri Lankan Sinhalese Film actress and a dancer by profession. She is best known for the roles in films, Aba, Vijaya Kuweni and Ahelepola Kumarihami.
28 is a 2014 Sri Lankan feature drama film directed and produced by Prasanna Jayakody. The film starred by Mahendra Perera and Semini Iddamalgoda in lead roles along with Rukmal Nirosh, Sarath Kothalawala. 28 revolves how three men transport the body of a woman, who was raped and murdered, in an old van. One of the men will find out that the woman is his estranged wife. The film name is given considering that the average menstrual cycle of a woman is around 28 Days..
Burning Birds is a 2018 Sri Lankan adult drama film written and directed by Sanjeewa Pushpakumara and co-produced by Pushpakumara and Antonin Dedet. It stars Anoma Janadari and Samanalee Fonseka with Mahendra Perera and Shyam Fernando. The music was composed by R. Abaji and Philip David Sheppard. The film was premiered in the main competition of the 21st Busan International Film Festival in 2016.
Nikini Vassa (August Drizzle) (Sinhala: නිකිණි වැස්ස) is a 2013 Sri Lankan Sinhala drama film directed by Aruna Jayawardana and produced by Dr Kusumsiri De Silva. It stars Chandani Seneviratne and Jagath Manuwarna in lead roles along with Thumindu Dodantenna and Bimal Jayakodi. Music composed by Nadeeka Guruge. It is the 1190th Sri Lankan film in the Sinhala cinema. The film had positive reviews from international and local critics and won many international awards as well.
Dekala Purudu Kenek is a 2019 Sri Lankan film directed by Malith Hegoda and co-produced by Lal Hegoda, Malith Hegoda, Rasanga Dissanayake, Mohamed Adamaly and Nadira Adamaly for Vinode Films. The film stars Bimal Jayakodi and Samadhi Laksiri in lead roles along with Jagath Manuwarna and Prasanna Mahagamage. It is the 1324th Sri Lankan film in the Sinhala cinema.
Prasanna Jayakody is a Sri Lankan film director and screenwriter, internationally recognized for his cinematic accomplishments in contemporary Sri Lankan cinema. His movies primarily explore the human state of mind, displaying fusions of human emotions, senses and thoughts set against the fractured socio-economic, cultural and religious environments of Sri Lanka. In the global context, Jayakody’s cinema represents the psycho-biological realities of mankind and arbitrariness of human cognition juxtaposed against the larger concept of civilization. Jayakody’s eccentric cinematic world, in the absence of a flowing story, capitalizes on subtle but detailed images and intense characters.
Demons in Paradise is a 2017 trilingual Sri Lankan based documentary feature film written by Isabelle Marina and directed by Jude Ratnam in his directorial debut depicting the worst consequences for both Sinhalese and Tamils due to the 30 year long endured Sri Lankan Civil War. The portions of the film were mostly shot in Sri Lanka and was set in France. The film had its world premiere during the 2017 Cannes Film Festival in May 2017 and was opened to highly positive reviews making it as an internationally acclaimed and recognised film. Jude Ratnam became the first Tamil filmmaker to openly criticise the Tamil Tigers through the plot of the documentary film and the film received criticism among Sri Lankan Jaffna Tamils for the storyline.
Kaushalya Fernando, is a Sri Lankan actress, director, producer and civil activist. Fernando is a five-time winner of the prestigious best actress award at the State Drama festival. She is the daughter of popular theatre director late Somalatha Subasinghe.
Carlo Francisco Manatad is a Filipino filmmaker and editor. He is one of the most prolific editors in the Philippines and has edited the films Ruined Heart (2014), A Gentle Night (2017), Balangiga (2017) and Women of the Weeping River (2018) to name a few. As a director, his films have screened in a number of international film festivals, such as in Locarno, Toronto, Busan, and Cannes.
Lanka Bandaranayake is a Sri Lankan filmmaker, producer, screenwriter, actor, and theatre artist who mainly works in Sri Lankan cinema. She is known for the short film Tradition (2016).
The Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival (JAFF) is an annual film festival held in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The festival has partnered with the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC) since its inaugural edition in 2006. It aims to introduce Asian cinema to a wider audience and provides a space for arts, culture, and tourism.
