|
Cinema Of Sri Lanka
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 languages, the dominant languages of the country. Cinema of Sri Lanka is also referred to as Follywood as many famous Sri Lankan actors had surnames starting with an "F." In the first nine years, most films were made in neighboring Southern India and closely followed the conventions of Indian cinema. Studio shooting was the norm, with Indian style sets erected in film studios. It is widely believed that ''Rekava'', made in 1956 by pioneer director Lester James Peries, was the first Sinhala film to be shot completely out of studio, however, it was the film "Gambada Sundari", starring Kingsley Jayasekera and Sheela Peiris in 1950, which was the first film shot outside studios instead. It wa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, and southeast of the Arabian Sea; it is separated from the Indian subcontinent by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait. Sri Lanka shares a maritime border with India and Maldives. Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is its legislative capital, and Colombo is its largest city and financial centre. Sri Lanka has a population of around 22 million (2020) and is a multinational state, home to diverse cultures, languages, and ethnicities. The Sinhalese are the majority of the nation's population. The Tamils, who are a large minority group, have also played an influential role in the island's history. Other long established groups include the Moors, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gamperaliya (film)
''Gamperaliya'' is a 1963 Sri Lankan drama film directed by Dr. Lester James Peries screenplay, dialogue and the script by Reggie Siriwardena and Tissa Abeysekara; it was adapted from the novel '' Gamperaliya'' by Martin Wickramasinghe. The film starts ensemble cast of several eras together including, Henry Jayasena, Punya Heendeniya, Wickrama Bogoda, Trilicia Gunawardena and Gamini Fonseka. The film was groundbreaking in Sinhala cinema shot entirely outside of a studio using one lamp and hand held lights for lighting. The movie exemplifies Peries's use of family tensions to symbolize wider issues. The film was internationally acclaimed, receiving the Golden Peacock (Best Film) at the 3rd International Film Festival of India and the Golden Head of Palenque in Mexico. The film won the Best Director and Best Film awards at the 1965 Sarasaviya Film Festival. It was entered into the 3rd Moscow International Film Festival. It was shown in Cannes Film festival in May 2008 under t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chandran Rutnam
Chandran Rutnam is a Sri Lankan filmmaker and entrepreneur. Rutnam has hosted numerous Hollywood films for their location shoots in Sri Lanka and Malaysia. He was the Line Producer/Production Supervisor on several international productions including the Sri Lankan location shoot of Paramount Pictures' ''Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom'' (1984) and '' Indochine'' (1992). He is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Asian Film Location Services which mostly hosts foreign films to be shot in South and South East Asia. Steven Spielberg once referred to Rutnam as "Our most valued friend in the Far East". Rutnam has also worked with Sir David Lean, Sir Carol Reed, John Boorman, George Lucas and Regis Wargnier. Rutnam wrote the screenplay, produced, directed and edited the film '' The Road from Elephant Pass'', which was a Finalist Award Winner at the New York International Television and Film Awards in 2011. He also wrote the adapted screenplay and produced and dire ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tissa Abeysekara
Deshanabu Tissa Ananda Abeysekara (7 May 1939 – 18 April 2009 as තිස්ස අබේසේකර) was a Sri Lankan filmmaker, actor, writer, director, screen playwright and political activist. He is better known as a script writer for the cinema as well as a film director. In 1996, his book ''Bringing Tony Home'' won the prestigious Gratiaen Prize for the new creative writing in English. He was the chief coordinator of FOSWAL in Sri Lanka and honoured awardee of SAARC Literary Award. Personal life Tissa Ananda Abeysekera was born Tissa Ananda Abeysekara Gunaratne de Fonseka in Maharagama, a railroad town southeast of Colombo to Sir Arthur Solomon de Fonseka and Agnus de Fonseka (Nee Rupesighe). Tissa's grandfather was Mudaliyar Carolis de Fonseka and is the great-grandson of Gate Mudaliyar Solomon de Fonseka. He grew up in his ancestral house, Greenlands in Havelock Town, Colombo. Tissa's paternal uncle (fathers brother) was Justice E.R. de Fonseka, QC, Puisne Jud ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ganga Addara
''Ganga Addara'' (English : Beside the River) was a 1980 Sinhalese language film directed by Sumitra Peiris and produced by Sumathi Films. The film stars Vasanthi Chathurani and late Vijaya Kumaratunga in the lead roles. Adapted from a novel by Letitia Botejue, its script was written by veteran director Tissa Abeysekara. The music and English lyrics ('Banks of the River') were composed by Nimal Mendis. It was translated into Sinhala by Augustus Vinayagaratnam and was sung by Vijaya Kumaratunga, who also made his mark as a playback singer. Ganga Addara, which was the second production of Sumathi Films was set in Kandy, colonial Sri Lanka. Its plot is about a tragic love story between a boy and his uncle's daughter, where all the incidents take place around river Kalani, a famous river in Sri Lanka. It received many awards at the prestigious Sarasaviya Awards Festival including the Best Film Award, Best Director Award, Best Music Direction Award and Best Actress Award for Vas ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gehenu Lamai
''Gehenu Lamai'' ( si, ගැහැණු ළමයි English : Girls) is a 1978 Sri Lankan Sinhala teenage drama film directed by Sumitra Peries and produced by her husband Lester James Peries for Lster Films. The film introduced Vasanthi Chathurani into Sinhala cinema. Along with her, film stars Ajith Jinadasa and Jenita Samaraweera in lead roles along with Shyama Anandan and Cyril Kothalawala. Music composed by Nimal Mendis. It is the 390th Sri Lankan film in the Sinhala cinema. The film received positive reviews from critics and earned box office success. Plot Kusum witnesses Nimal leading a procession into their village. Kusum then recalls her childhood spent with friend Nimal. She is taught by the older boy. Kusum then starts boarding school with a transition to her at an older age. She gains a friend in Podmini who admires Kusum's innocence. When Kusum visits home, she takes to helping out at the home of Nimal's mother, Mrs. Satharasinghe. On one such visit Nimal engage ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sumitra Peries
Kala Keerthi Sumitra Peries (born 24 March 1934) is the first Sri Lankan female filmmaker and is known by all as the "Poetess of Sinhala Cinema". She also held the post of Sri Lanka's ambassador to France, Spain and the United Nations in the late 1990s. Of her films the more popular ones are ''Gehenu Lamai'', ''Ganga Addara'' and ''Yahaluvo''. She was married to the most prolific Sri Lankan film director Dr. Lester James Peries. Early life Born Sumitra Gunawardena, on 24 March 1934 to a Marxist family known as the "Boralugoda Gunewardene's" in Avissawella. Her father, Henry (better known as Harry) Gunawardena was a proctor in Avissawella, and brother of the famous politicians Philip Gunawardena and Robert Gunawardena and her mother, Harriette Wickramasinghe was from a middle-class family. Three of Sumitra's relatives, Dinesh Gunawardena, Geethanjana Gunawardena and Prasanna Gunawardena, are current politicians in Sri Lankan. When Sumitra was just 14 years of age, her mother ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Thun Man Handiya
''Thun Man Handiya movie'' ( Sinhala for ''Three Way Junction'') is a 1970 dramatic film made by Sri Lankan artist Mahagama Sekera. It is autobiographical and recounts Sekera's childhood though the character of Sirisena. Plot The film is set in a small village and follows progression in painter Abilin's ( Joe Abeywickrema) life through the eyes of his nephew Sirisena (Kumara Balasooriya, Karunarathna Ranasinghe). Abilin is an alcoholic and drifts through his life in debt and without focus. After getting into arguments with other villagers and his own brother (Dharmadasa Kuruppu), Abilin decides to take a job with a rich landowner (A. P. Gunarathna). Sirisena then goes to art college inspired by his uncle. He develops his art skill there and dreams of showing his talent to Abilin. Abilin's situation, however, deteriorates due to alcoholism, juxtaposing serenely with Sirisena's foray into art in the city. Cast * Joe Abeywickrama as Abilin Singho 'Mama' * Kumara Balasooriya as Ado ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mahagama Sekera
Mahagama Sekera (Mahagamage Sekara) ( Sinhala:මහගම සේකර / මහගමගේ සේකර ) (7 April 1929 – 14 January 1976) Sri Lankan poet, lyricist, playwright, novelist, artist, translator and filmmaker. He is considered to be a significant figure in Sinhalese poetry and literature. Sekara is best remembered as a poet and songwriter with several of his works even becoming popular songs in Sri Lanka. His works occasionally have an introspective Buddhist influenced outlook. His poems and songs remain widely quoted on the island nearly thirty years after his death.. Early life and education Mahagama Sekera was born on 7 April 1929 in Radawana, Colombo. His father was Maha Gamage John Singho, mother was Ranawaka Arachchige Roslin Ranawaka. He had his initial education at Government School in Radawana and Kirindiwela Maha Vidayalaya. Sekera started life as an artist and in his later paintings and book covers he tended towards modern art. He got a thorough ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ahas Gauwa
''Ahas Gauwa'' ( si, අහස් ගව්ව)(One League of Sky) is a 1974 Sri Lankan drama film directed by Dharmasena Pathiraja. It stars Amarasiri Kalansuriya and Swarna Mallawarachchi in lead roles along with Vijaya Kumaratunga, Wimal Kumara de Costa and Cyril Wickramage. Music composed by Premasiri Khemadasa. Cast * Amarasiri Kalansuriya as Vijay * Wimal Kumara de Costa as Gune * Vijaya Kumaratunga as Mahathun * Swarna Mallawarachchi as Vijitha * Wickrama Bogoda as Bandu * Cyril Wickramage as Cyril * Somasiri Dehipitiya as Somey * Pathiraja L. S. Dayananda as Daya * Nilwathuru Wijewardena as Japana * Shanthi Lekha as Vijay's Amma * Gamini Ganegoda as Vijay's Thaththa * Menik Kurukulasuriya as Vijay's sister * Daya Thennakoon as Sirisena * Piyasena Ahangama as Magician * Alexander Fernando as Japana's leader * H. S. Premendra as Musician * Malini Fonseka as Post office co-worker * Bandula Vithanage Bandula de Silva Vithanage (born 11 September 1940 – died 1 Se ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bambaru Awith
''Bambaru Avith (The Wasps are Here)'' ( si, italic=yes, බඹරු ඇවිත්) is a 1978 Sri Lankan Sinhala drama film directed by Dharmasena Pathiraja and produced by director himself with Thilak Godamanne for Saranga Salaroo. It explores tradition and exploitation following the introduction of capitalism to a tiny fishing village and the subsequent clash between the local boss and the urban outsider. Plot In a fishing village, Anton ''Aiya'' is an exploiter who outwardly resembles and acts like a regular fisherman, but he exploits and feeds off the other fishermen. Into this setting arrives members of the urban entrepreneurial youth. They have adapted to Western Culture, dressing like Westerners and preferring Western music. Conflict arises between Anton ''Aiya'' and Baby ''Mahattaya'' (Victor), a representative of the urban youth. A middle-class leftist Weerasena is also of this group. The arrival of these youths has clearly caused a social crisis requiring a solutio ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dharmasena Pathiraja
Pathiraja Navaratne Wanninayake Mudiyanselage Ranjith Dharmasena (28 March 1943 – 28 January 2018) was a Sri Lankan film director and screenwriter. He has been referred to as a 'rebel with a cause', an ‘''enfant terrible'' of the '70s', and is widely recognized as the pioneer of Sri Lankan cinema’s 'second revolution'. He is also renowned as an academic, playwright and poet. Early life Educated at Dharmaraja College, Kandy, Pathiraja graduated from the University of Peradeniya with an honours degree in Sinhala and Western Classical Culture in 1967. Subsequently he began work as a lecturer in Drama and Performance Arts, and later obtained a PhD in Bengali cinema from Monash University. His thesis was ''The Dialectic of Region and Nation in the Films of Bengali Independents: Ghatak, Ray and Sen (2001)''. He learned the language of cinema from the film society movement, which was popular in Sri Lanka in the early sixties. He also recognized their sociopolitical limitations ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
