Vasantha Obeysekera (1937 – 2017), was a

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 ...

film director A film director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfilment of that vision. The director has a key role in choosing the cast members, p ...

and

screenwriter A screenplay writer (also called screenwriter, scriptwriter, scribe or scenarist) is a writer who practices the craft of screenwriting, writing screenplays on which mass media, such as films, television programs and video games, are based. ...

Early life and career

Kala Keerthi The Kala Keerthi ( si, කලා කීර්ති) is a Sri Lankan Sri Lankan honours system, national honour awarded "''for extraordinary achievements and contributions in arts, culture and drama''". It is the highest national honour for arts, cu ...

Vasantha Obeysekera who was regarded as one of the foremost film makers in the 70s decade graduated from the

University of Ceylon The University of Ceylon was the only university in Sri Lanka (earlier Ceylon) from 1942 until 1972. It had several constituent campuses at various locations around Sri Lanka. The University of Ceylon Act No. 1 of 1972, replaced it with the Univer ...

in 1962. He served on the Editorial Staff of the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited from 1964 to 1970. In addition to his editorial work, Obeysekera wrote several short stories during this period. Obeysekera entered the film industry with ''

Sath Samudura ''Sath Samudura'' (English language, "Seven Seas") is a landmark Sri Lankan film directed by professor Siri Gunasinghe and released in 1967. This film was critically acclaimed and is considered a major work in Sri Lankan cinema. It depicts the p ...

'' in 1967 which he co-wrote and worked on as assistant director; it was Sri Lanka's entry at the

Moscow International Film Festival The Moscow International Film Festival (russian: Моско́вский междунаро́дный кинофестива́ль, translit. ''Moskóvskiy myezhdunaródniy kinofyestivál''; abbreviated as MIFF) is the film festival first h ...

. In 1971 he was awarded a certificate in Cinematography by the

Comité de libération du cinéma français Comité de libération du cinéma français was an organization of filmmakers in France created in 1943. The most well-known members are Jacques Becker, Pierre Blanchar, Louis Daquin, Jean Painlevé, and Jean-Paul Le Chanois. Members of this o ...

1970s

In the 1970s Obeysekera wrote and directed ''Ves Gaththo'' ("Masked Men") (1970), ''Valmathuwo'' ("Lost Ones") (1976), ''Diyamanthi'' ("Diamond") (1977) and ''Palangetiyo'' ("Grasshoppers") (1979). ''Palangetiyo'' won the

Presidential Film Awards Presidential Film Awards is a film award ceremony held in Sri Lanka. It is organized by the National Film Corporation along with the Presidential Secretariat and the Ministry of Cultural Affairs. It was 1st awards in 1979 by President J. R. Jayewa ...

for Best Screenplay, Best Director and Best Film.

1980s

1983's ''

Dadayama ''Dadayama (The Hunt)'' ( si, දඩයම) is a 1983 Sri Lankan Sinhala drama thriller film directed by Vasantha Obeysekera and co-produced by Rabbin Chandrasiri, Sunil Jayasiri and P.A Somadasa for Canfo Films. It stars Ravindra Randeniya and Sw ...

'' ("The Hunt") also won the Presidential awards for Best Screenplay, Best Director and Best Film. It was a commercial success as well. Obeysekera made ''Kedapathaka Chaya'' ("Reflections on the Mirror") in 1989 after a five-year break.

1990s and 2000s

In the late-'90s, Obeysekera made ''Maruthaya'' ("The Storm") (1995), ''

Dorakada Marawa ''Dorakada Marawa (Death at the Doorstep)'' ( si, දොරකඩ මාරාව) is a 1998 Sri Lankan Sinhala drama film directed by Vasantha Obeysekera and produced by Sarath Abeysena for Abeysena Salaroo. It stars Sanath Gunathilake and Sangee ...

'' ("Death at the Doorstep") (1998) and ''Theertha Yathra'' ("Pilgrimage") (1999). These also secured several OCIC and Presidential Awards. ''Salelu Warama'' ("Web of Love"), ''Agni Warsha'' ("Rains of Fire"), ''Aganthukaya'' ("The Stranger"), and ''Sewwandhi'' were made in the 2000s.

Filmography

He has directed 13 films across many dramatic genres. * No. denotes the Number of Sri Lankan film in the Sri Lankan cinema.

Death

He died on 8 April 2017 in a private hospital in Colombo.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Obeysekera, Vasantha Sri Lankan film directors Kala Keerthi 2017 deaths 1937 births