Celebrating life and work of Lester
A portrait of Dr Lester James Peries is garlanded by his niece Neela Perera at the ceremony on Saturday.
Source:Island
The Lester James Peries and Sumitra Peries Foundation held a special screening of his 1969 movie ‘Golu Hadawatha’ (The Silence of the Heart) in celebration of his life and work in Sri Lankan, Asian and World Cinema on Saturday.
April marks for the birth and death anniversaries of the maestro (05 April 1919 – 29 April 2018) and so it was fitting that this event be held in April. Dr. Peries made twenty films in fifty years, from Rekawa (The Line of Destiny) in 1956 to Ammawarune (Elegy for a Mother) in 2006
Golu Hadawatha is a popular romance movie with Wickrama Bogoda and Anula Karunathilaka in the lead roles of Sugath and Dhammi. It is also Sriyani Amarasena’s first film.
The movie’s story is built on the novel Golu Hadawatha written by Karunasena Jayalath in 1962, based on his school time experiences and memories. Regi Siriwardena wrote the screenplay and veteran musician Premasiri Khemadasa composed the music. Golu Hadawatha is acclaimed as a movie that set a milestone in Sinhala moviemaking.
It introduced a new cinematic format to the romance and love movie genre and is regarded as one of the landmarks in Sri Lankan cinema.Incorporated by Act No. 36 (2011) of Parliament (Sri Lanka), The Lester James Peries and Sumitra Peries Foundation is located at No. 134/2, Old Kottawa Road, Mirihana.The Foundation’s Trustee/Directors are Gayathri Mustachi, Kumar de Silva and Yadamini Gunawardena while its Directors are Nuran Gomez and Yashodha Wimaladharma.
