Sanjeewa Pushpakumara (born 5 May 1977) is a Sri Lankan film director, screenwriter and producer.

Career

Pushpakumara completed a Bachelor of Arts degree at the

University of Sri Jayewardenepura ''Vijja Uppattam Setta'' , mottoeng = Among all that arise, knowledge is the greatest , established = , undergrad = 14,750 , postgrad = 3560 , administrative_staff = 3950 , cit ...

in 2005. He pursued a diploma in filmmaking at the Sri Lanka National Film Corporation in 2006. In 2007, Pushpakumara received a scholarship from the Korean Culture and Tourism Ministry under its Cultural Partnership Initiative (CPI), to study filmmaking in the Asian Young Film Forum and also to learn

Korean Korean may refer to: People and culture * Koreans, ethnic group originating in the Korean Peninsula * Korean cuisine * Korean culture * Korean language **Korean alphabet, known as Hangul or Chosŏn'gŭl **Korean dialects and the Jeju language ** ...

Jeonbuk National University Jeonbuk National University (JBNU; Korean, , ''Jeonbuk Daehakgyo'') is one of ten Flagship Korean National Universities founded in 1947, located in Jeonju, South Korea. Jeonbuk National University has been ranked 551–560th in the world by QS To ...

. In 2008, he obtained a Master's degree in Mass Communications from the

University of Kelaniya Pannaya Parisujjhati , mottoeng = Self-purification is by insight , established = 1875 Vidyalankara Pirivena1959 Vidyalankara University , type = Public , endowment = , adminis ...

. In 2009, Pushpakumara was selected to the Asian Film Academy of

Busan International Film Festival The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF, previously Pusan International Film Festival, PIFF), held annually in Haeundae-gu, Busan (''also'' Pusan), South Korea, is one of the most significant film festivals in Asia. The first festi ...

. He participated in

Berlinale Talent Campus The Berlin International Film Festival (german: Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin), usually called the Berlinale (), is a major international film festival held annually in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951 and originally run in June, the festi ...

in 2012. In 2014, he obtained an advanced degree (Master of Fine Arts) in filmmaking from the

Chung-Ang University Chung-Ang University (CAU; ) is a private research university in Seoul, South Korea. It is widely regarded as one of the best universities in South Korea. The university operates two campuses: main campus located in Dongjak District, Seoul, and a ...

in South Korea as a Korean Government Scholarship Holder (KGSP). Pushpakumara's first feature film, ''Flying Fish'' (Sinhala: ''Igillena Maluwo''), received post-production support from the Hubert Bals Fund of the

International Film Festival Rotterdam The International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) is an annual film festival held at the end of January in various locations in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Since its foundation in 1972, it has maintained a focus on independent and experimental fi ...

(IFFR). Subsequently, ''Flying Fish'' world premiered at the IFFR and was nominated for the Festival's Tiger Award. The film reflects the deep social and psychological trauma of Sri Lanka's twenty-six-year-long

civil war A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

. ''Flying Fish'' garnered many accolades and the film was invited to more than thirty international film festivals around the world. In a review for the 5th Cinema Digital Seoul Film Festival, film commentator

Tony Rayns Antony Rayns (born 1948) is a British writer, commentator, film festival programmer and screenwriter. He wrote for the underground publication ''Cinema Rising'' (its name inspired by Kenneth Anger's '' Scorpio Rising'') before contributing to ...

wrote that, in Pushpakumara, "Sri Lankan Cinema has found its true modernist" and he has also described ''Flying Fish'' as "scrupulously non-partisan, deeply humane, sexually candid, coolly modernist in style and almost indecently beautiful". In 2012, Pushpakumara was invited by the

Cinéfondation La ''Cinéfondation'' is a foundation under the aegis of the Cannes Film Festival, created to inspire and support the next generation of international filmmakers. It was created in 1998 by Gilles Jacob. Since then it has developed complementary ...

of Cannes Film Festival to its Résidence programme in Paris to develop his second feature film, ''Burning Birds'' (Sinhala: ''Davena Vihagun''). The film received production support from

Doha Film Institute Doha Film Institute (DFI) is a nonprofit cultural organisation established in 2010 by Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani to support the growth of the Qatari film community and to provide funding and international networking oppor ...

and post-production support from the Hubert Bals Fund and ''Aide aux cinémas du monde'' (

CNC Numerical control (also computer numerical control, and commonly called CNC) is the automated control of machining tools (such as drills, lathes, mills, grinders, routers and 3D printers) by means of a computer. A CNC machine processes a ...

and

Institut français The Institut Français (French capitalization, Institut français; "French institute") is a French public industrial and commercial organization (EPIC). Started in 1907 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for promoting French, francophone as ...

). In 2014, the Biennale College of

Venice Film Festival The Venice Film Festival or Venice International Film Festival ( it, Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica della Biennale di Venezia, "International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art of the Venice Biennale") is an annual film festival he ...

invited Pushpakumara to Venice to develop his third film project ''Peacock Lament''. In 2019, ''Peacock Lament'' was also selected by the Nipkow Art Residence in Berlin for advance script development. In 2018, the film project ''Amma'' (Tamil: ''Mother'') won

Locarno Film Festival The Locarno Film Festival is an annual film festival, held every August in Locarno, Switzerland. Founded in 1946, the festival screens films in various competitive and non-competitive sections, including feature-length narrative, documentary, s ...

's Open Doors main prize. In 2019, the ''Amma'' project was also invited to Film Independent's Global Media Makers LA Residency in Los Angeles for advance script development. Currently, Pushpakumara is the designer of the course and the Course Director at Sri Lanka Film School, the country's first film school.

Filmography

Feature films

* ''When Nothing Matters'' - in development (a film about

Leonard Woolf Leonard Sidney Woolf (; – ) was a British political theorist, author, publisher, and civil servant. He was married to author Virginia Woolf. As a member of the Labour Party and the Fabian Society, Woolf was an avid publisher of his own work ...

and his time in Ceylon) * ''Amma'' (2020) - in development (won Open Doors Project Development Grant at the 71st

, 2018) * ''Peacock Lament'' - (2022) * ''Asu'' (2021)( Director, Co- Screen writer - Sangeetha Nilnadee Godagama, Co Producer - Amil Abeysundara) * ''

Burning Birds ''Burning Birds'' (දැවෙන විහඟුන්) 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 ...

'' (Sinhala: ''Danvena Vihagun'') (2018) - Director/Writer/Producer * ''

Flying Fish The Exocoetidae are a family of marine fish in the order Beloniformes class Actinopterygii, known colloquially as flying fish or flying cod. About 64 species are grouped in seven to nine genera. While they cannot fly in the same way a bird do ...

'' (Sinhala: ''Igillena Maluwo'') (2011) - Director/Writer/Producer

Short films

* ''Lotus Mother'' (2021) * ''Unforgiven'' (2012) - Writer/Director (screened at the

2013 Cannes Film Festival The 66th Cannes Film Festival took place in Cannes, France, from 15 to 26 May 2013. Steven Spielberg was the head of the jury for the main competition. New Zealand film director Jane Campion was the head of the jury for the Cinéfondation and S ...

in the Short Film Corner section) * ''An Encounter in the Woods'' (2009) - Production Designer * ''Wings to Fly'' (2008) - Director/Writer/Producer * ''Touch'' (2007) - Director/Writer/Producer

Awards and nominations

''Flying Fish'' (''Igillena Maluwo'') (2011)

* Best Director Award, New Territories Competition - Saint Petersburg International Film Festival, 2011 * Best Asian Film, NETPAC Award - 4th

Bengaluru International Film Festival The Bengaluru International Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Bengaluru, the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka, which previews films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1996, Suchitra B ...

, 2011 * Blue Chameleon Award - 5th Cinema Digital Seoul Film Festival (CinDi), 2011 * Special Jury Mention for Red Chameleon Award - 5th Cinema Digital Seoul Film Festival (CinDi), 2011 * Critics' Choice Award - 5th New Jersey South Asian Film Festival, U.S. * Best Asian Cinematographer ''(Nominated)'' - 6th

Asian Film Awards Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, Hong Kong, 2012 * Tiger Award ''(Nominated)'' - 40th

, 2011 * New Directors Award ''(Nominated)'' - 37th

Seattle International Film Festival The Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF), held annually in Seattle, Washington since 1976, is among the top film festivals in North America. Audiences have grown steadily; the 2006 festival had 160,000 attendees. The SIFF runs for more th ...

, 2011 * Lino Micciche Award ''(Nominated)'' - 47th Mostra internazionale del Nuovo Cinema di Pesaro (Pesaro Film Festival), 2011 * Silesian Film Award ''(Nominated)'' - Ars Independent Film Festival, Katowice, 2011 * Best Film ''(Nominated)'' - 12th

Tokyo FILMeX TOKYO FILMeX (東京フィルメックス) is an international film festival established in 2000. The film festival was launched by Office Kitano, the agency and production company co-founded by leading actor-filmmaker Takeshi Kitano. TOKYO FILM ...

, 2011 * ''La Montgolfière d'or'' Award ''(Nominated)'' - 34th

Festival des 3 Continents The Festival des 3 Continents is an annual film festival held since 1979 in Nantes, France, and is devoted to the cinemas of Asia, and Africa and Latin America. It was founded by Philippe and Alain Jalladeau.Hong Kong International Film Festival The Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF), is one of Asia’s oldest international film festivals. Founded in 1976, the festival features different movies, filmmakers from different countries in Hong Kong. HKIFF screens around 230 films ...

, 2012 * Signis Award ''(Nominated)'' - 36th

Hong Kong International Film Festival The Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF), is one of Asia’s oldest international film festivals. Founded in 1976, the festival features different movies, filmmakers from different countries in Hong Kong. HKIFF screens around 230 films ...

, 2012

''Burning Birds'' (''Davena Vihagun'') (2018)

* Grand Prix Fiction and Human Rights ''(Winner)'' - 15th

International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights The International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights (FIFDH) is one of the most important international events dedicated to cinema and human rights, located in the heart of Geneva, "international capital of human rights". The inspiration and ...

(FIFDH), Geneva, 2017 * Youth Jury Award ''(Winner)'' - 15th International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights (FIFDH), Geneva, 2017 * Special Jury Prize/2nd Prize ''(Winner)'' - 17th

, 2016 * Best Film ''(Nominated)'' - 21st

(New Currents Competition), 2016 * The Ingmar Bergman Award ''(Nominated)'' - 40th

Göteborg Film Festival Göteborg Film Festival (GFF), formerly Göteborg International Film Festival (GIFF), known in English as the Gothenburg Film Festival, formerly Gothenburg International Film Festival, is an annual film festival in Gothenburg, Sweden and the larg ...

(Ingmar Bergman Competition), 2017 * Best Film ''(Nominated)'' - 27th African, Asian and Latin American Film Festival (FESCAAAL), Milan, 2017 * Best Film ''(Nominated)'' - 32nd Valencia International Film Festival, 2017 * Best Film ''(Nominated)'' - 14th ANONIMUL International Independent Film Festival, Romania, 2017 * Best Actress - 3rd

Asian World Film Festival The Asian World Film Festival (AWFF) is an annual film festival based in Los Angeles, California, founded by Kyrgyz filmmaker, Sadyk Sher-Niyaz in 2015. In its inaugural year, the festival ran from October 26 to November 2. Its awards are known ...

, Los Angeles, 2017 * Netpac and Geber Awards ''(Nominated)'' - 12th Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival, Indonesia, 2017

Bibliography

* ''Athmabadda Cinema Rupa –

Prasanna Vithanage Udaya Prasanna Vithanage ( si, ප්‍රසන්න විතානගේ) (born 14 March 1962) is a Sri Lankan filmmaker. He is considered one of the pioneers of the third generation of the Sri Lankan cinema. He has directed eight feature ...

's Cinema'' (2007) * ''Jump Cut Ekak (A Jump Cut): Cinema from Sky to Earth'' (2008) * ''Korean Cinema and

Kim Ki-duk Kim Ki-duk ( ; 20 December 196011 December 2020) was a South Korean film director and screenwriter, noted for his idiosyncratic art-house cinematic works. His films have received many distinctions in the festival circuit, rendering him one of ...

's Film Language'' (2009)

References

External links

''Flying Fish'' official site

Festival Scope profile

IFFR Director Profile

Tiger Award Spotlight: Flying Fish
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pushpakumara, Sanjeewa Sri Lankan film directors Sri Lankan film producers Sri Lankan screenwriters Alumni of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura 1977 births Living people