Media, Transport and Highways Minister Dr Bandula Gunawardhana the producer of “The Newspaper’ receiving the Best Film- 2020 award. Chairman ANCL Prof. Harendra Kariyawasam and Unilever Marketing Director Shamara Silva looks on.
Pictures by Nissanka Wijeratne and Marlon Karunaratne
Mohammed Adamaly Producer of Dekala Purudu Kenek receiving the award for the Best Film 2019 from Chief Guest veteran actress Malani Fonseka. Director of the film Malith Hegoda looks on.
The prestigious 35th Lux Sarasaviya Film Awards Festival 2024, the biggest cinema festival in Sri Lanka, celebrating Sri Lanka’s cinematic excellence of the vibrant silver screen, was held with pomp and pageantry at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH), Colombo yesterday (28) evening.
The reigning queen of Sri Lankan silver screen, legendary actress Dr. Malini Fonseka was the Chief Guest of this year’s film festival while Transport, Highways and Mass Media Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardhana graced the event.
The star studded film festival celebrating the Sri Lankan Sinhala Cinema held to honour and recognize the highest achievements of the country’s film fraternity was organised and presented by the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited (ANCL) in collaboration with Unilever Sri Lanka as the main sponsor having a comeback after 30 years celebrating 100 years of Lux, Commercial Bank as the official banking partner, Independent Television Network (ITN) as the official Television partner and RAVI as the official Jewellery partner.
The night was coloured with glamour and glitz by the presence of a stellar Sri Lankan film star gathering along with the renowned film fraternity that made the event spectacular and memorable. Distinguished members behind organising and sponsoring the event including ANCL Chairman Prof. Harendra Kariyawasam and the Board of Directors and representatives of the official partners were present at the ceremony to present the prestigious awards.
A total of 57 coveted awards were presented to films released during the years 2019 and 2020, spanning a diverse array of categories including direction, acting, cinematography, playback singing and music composition.This year’s special awards presented included two lifetime awards named as Dr.Lester James Peries Ranathisara Memorial awards for the year 2019 and 2020 and two Ranapala Bodhinagoda Memorial Literary awards for the year 2019 and 2020.
The event commenced with the opening ceremony welcoming the special guests brought into the auditorium on the red carpet to the sound of drum beats by Kandian Dancers.
The curtains opened with the melodious dance rendition of Saraswathi Abhinandana performed by a reputed dancing troupe.
The Lux theme song celebrating 100 years with the famed Lux brand Ambassador actresses performing in it, Visharada Nanda Malini’s ‘Galana Gangaki Jivithe’, a dance ensemble by Kamal Addararachchi and Sangeetha Weeraratne to the song ‘Hima Renu Watena Seethale’ took centre stage with the elegant music and dance that were associated with them.
Best actress for 2019 was awarded to Samadhi Laksiri for her role as Dinithi in the film ‘Dakala purudu kenek’ and the best actress award for 2020 went to veteran artiste Nita Fernando for her role as Baba Nona in the movie ‘Paangshu’.
The best actor award for 2019 was won by Bimal Jayakody for his role in the film ‘Dakala purudu kenek’ and Kumara Thirimadura playing Lusiya in ‘The Newspaper’ won the best actor award for 2020.
Best film award for 2019 went to ‘Dakala purudu kenek’ directed by Malith Hagoda and ‘The Newspaper’ directed by Sarath Kothalawala and Kumara Thirimadura won the best film award for 2020 which was presented to the producer of the movie, Mass Media, Transport and Highways Minister Dr.Bandula Gunawardhana. The Ranapala Bodhinagoda Memorial Film Literature Award for 2019 recognizing the literary excellence was presented to Veteran Journalist Siri Kahawala and Veteran Journalist Thilakaratne Kuruwitabandara received the award for 2020.
Dr. Lester James Peries Memorial Ranathisara Award given once in a lifetime to veteran artists who made remarkable achievements by contributing to the growth of Sri Lankan cinema industry throughout their lifetime, were awarded to Sathischandra Edirisinghe for the year 2019 and to Dr. Victor Ratnayaka for 2020.
The Sarasaviya film festival was held this year after a lapse of six years to present 24 awards for selected films out of 42 which were released in 2019 and 2020. A total of 30 films released in 2019 and 12 films released in 2020 were nominated for this year’s award ceremony.
It is significant to note that the 35th edition of the Lux Sarasaviya Film Festival was held this year following the 60th anniversary of the Sarasaviya cinema newspaper since its launch in 1963 with the first ever Sarasaviya Film Awards ceremony having been held the very next year in 1964.
The Sarasaviya film festival is one of the oldest cinematic events in Sri Lanka.
The awards were first introduced in 1964 and are often referred to as the Sinhala Cinema industry’s equivalent to Hollywood’s The Oscars and Bollywood’s Filmfare awards.
Pictures by Nissanka Wijeratne and Marlon Karunaratne
