‘Riverstone’ Selected as Sri Lanka’s Official Entry for the 99th Academy Awards

‘Riverstone’ Selected as Sri Lanka’s Official Entry for the 99th Academy Awards

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Lalith Rathnayake’s Riverstone has been selected as Sri Lanka’s official entry in the International Feature Film category of the 99th Academy Awards, marking a significant moment for the country’s film industry and placing a contemporary Sri Lankan production before one of the world’s most influential cinematic institutions.

The selection was announced on 28 September 2026 by National Film Corporation Chairman Sudath Mahaadivulwewa at a media briefing. Mahaadivulwewa, who also serves as Chairman of Sri Lanka’s National Oscar Selection Committee, confirmed that the film had been chosen following a newly regulated national selection process designed to align more closely with the Academy’s requirements.

The announcement represents an important institutional development as well as a national cinematic achievement. While the selection does not yet constitute an Academy Award nomination, it confirms that Riverstone will formally represent Sri Lanka during the international consideration process for the 99th Academy Awards.

A newly regulated selection process

According to the announcement, the revised process requires approval by the local selection committee and consideration of the professional qualifications of its members, thereby establishing a more clearly defined framework through which Sri Lankan films may be evaluated for international submission.

“This is the first time a film that has been selected through such a mechanism will represent Sri Lanka,” Mahaadivulwewa said.

The introduction of a regulated process is expected to strengthen transparency, professional confidence and institutional continuity within Sri Lanka’s Oscar submissions. For filmmakers, producers and audiences, the development offers a clearer understanding of how national representation is determined, while also recognising the value of experienced professionals in assessing the artistic and technical qualities of eligible films.

The National Oscars Selection Committee comprised respected figures from several areas of the Sri Lankan film and cultural sector. Its members were filmmakers Asoka Handagama, Ravindra Guruge, Anoma Rajakaruna and Visakesa Chandrasekaram; film critic Aruna Gunarathne; musician Lakshman Joseph De Saram; and film festival coordinator Uditha Lakmal Kahandawaarachchi.

The committee’s composition brought together directing, criticism, music, festival administration and broader film-industry experience, creating a panel capable of examining the submissions from more than one professional perspective.

AI-generated editorial illustration representing Sri Lankan cinema reaching an international audience.

Six films considered by the committee

Six films were considered during the selection process, comprising five Sinhala-language productions and one Tamil-language production. The submissions reflected the range of creative work being developed within Sri Lanka’s contemporary film industry.

The films considered were:

• Vihanga Premaya (Peacock Lament), produced and directed by Sanjeeva Pushpakumara.
• Ayu, directed by Chathra Weeraman and produced by Yasas Rathnayake.
• Father, produced by Shantha Geethadeva and directed by Chaminda Jayasuriya.
• Anthony, produced by Ramandas Suganthini and Ramandas Sathyaraja, and directed by Sukirthan Christhuraja and Jenosan Rajeswar.
• Riverstone, produced by Prabath Roshan and Nimanthi Porage, and directed by Lalith Rathnayake.
• Cricket Sadu, directed by Dilshara Jayamanna and produced by Rasitha Jinasena.

The committee stated that four of the six films met the eligibility requirements under the Academy’s rules. Following the eligibility assessment, Riverstone and Father were selected as the two finalists, before Riverstone was ultimately chosen as Sri Lanka’s official submission.

The process therefore placed a broad selection of Sri Lankan filmmaking talent under formal consideration, while establishing Riverstone as the production judged best positioned to carry the country’s representation in the International Feature Film category.

A milestone for the production team

Directed by Lalith Rathnayake, Riverstone was produced by Prabath Roshan and Nimanthi Porage. Their selection reflects the combined contribution of creative direction, production management and the wider team responsible for bringing the film to completion.

For Sri Lankan filmmakers, the official submission provides a valuable international platform, regardless of the outcome of the Academy’s subsequent stages. A national entry can encourage international attention, create opportunities for festival screenings and professional partnerships, and introduce Sri Lankan cinematic work to audiences who may not otherwise encounter it.

The recognition is also meaningful because it places a Sri Lankan film within a global conversation that includes productions from established and emerging film industries across numerous regions. The Academy’s international feature category is particularly significant for countries seeking to present national experiences, languages, landscapes and creative approaches to a worldwide audience.

Although the Academy’s consideration process will determine which films progress further, the formal selection itself remains a noteworthy achievement. It confirms that Riverstone has passed through Sri Lanka’s newly regulated national mechanism and has been entrusted with representing the country at an internationally recognised level.

Why the selection matters to Sri Lankan audiences

Cinema has long served as an important record of social experience, cultural memory and national identity. For Sri Lankan audiences at home and abroad, the selection of Riverstone offers an opportunity to follow a home-grown production as it enters one of the most visible global film processes.

The announcement may also encourage greater interest in Sri Lankan cinema among younger audiences, whose engagement with international films has expanded through streaming platforms, festivals and digital media. A stronger connection between local filmmaking and global recognition could help demonstrate that Sri Lankan stories and creative talent possess considerable reach beyond the domestic market.

For Sri Lankan expatriates and members of the global Sri Lankan community, the achievement provides a source of cultural pride while offering a direct link to the country’s evolving artistic identity. International recognition is most meaningful when it encourages audiences to seek out the work itself, learn more about the people who created it and support the institutions that sustain national cinema.

AI-generated illustration representing the creative journey from Sri Lanka’s highlands to the international screen.

Reaching for the world’s biggest stage

The selection of Riverstone illustrates the ambition of Sri Lanka’s film community and the continuing importance of professional systems that can identify and support outstanding productions. It also demonstrates why national film institutions, selection committees, producers and creative practitioners must work together to ensure that Sri Lankan cinema receives a fair and credible pathway to international exposure.

The newly regulated process may become an instrumental foundation for future submissions, particularly if it is maintained with consistency, openness and respect for professional expertise. Its value will extend beyond a single Academy Awards cycle if it helps establish a dependable standard for evaluating Sri Lankan films and presenting them to international audiences.

For Lalith Rathnayake, Prabath Roshan, Nimanthi Porage and the wider Riverstone team, the selection is an important professional honour. For Sri Lanka, it is a moment of national cultural representation. For audiences around the world, it is an invitation to take a closer look at the country’s contemporary film-making talent.

As the 99th Academy Awards process continues, Riverstone will carry Sri Lanka’s official submission into the next stage of international consideration. Whatever the final outcome, the film’s selection has already created a significant chapter in the country’s cinematic story and has given Sri Lankan cinema another opportunity to be seen, discussed and valued on the global stage.

AI-generated illustration representing Sri Lankan cinema entering the international film conversation.

Source: https://www.newswire.lk/2026/09/28/sri-lanka-announces-official-entry-for-99th-oscars/

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