Sumitra Peries

Sumitra Peries
Sumitra Peries
සුමිත්‍රා පීරිස්
Born	24 March 1935; Avissawella, British Ceylon
Died	19 January 2023 (aged 87); Colombo, Sri Lanka
Occupation	Filmmaker
Spouse	Lester James Peries (1964–2018)

Sumitra Peries (March 24, 1935–January 19, 2023) was a Sri Lankan filmmaker. She was the first female film director from Sri Lanka.^[1] and was known as the "Poetess of Sinhala Cinema".^[2] She also held the post of Sri Lanka's ambassador to France, Spain and the United Nations in the late 1990s. Of her films the more popular ones are Gehenu Lamai, Ganga Addara and Yahaluvo. She was married to the most prolific Sri Lankan film director Dr. Lester James Peries.^[3]^[4]

Early life

Education

Peries began her education in Avissawella, then later enrolled to Visakha Vidyalaya in Colombo, and finally joined the Aquinas College Colombo to do the London Advanced Level.^{[citation needed]} At the age of 20 Sumitra managed to find some money and traveled to Europe by ship to meet her elder brother Gamini. She was going to build her own career there, although she didn't know it at the time.^[5]

Peries studied filmmaking at the London School of Film Technique and was awarded a Diploma in Film Direction and Production (1957–1959).^[6]

Filmography

Peries won the award for the best film director in fifty years of Sri Lankan cinema.^[7]

Year	Film	Ref.
1978	Gehenu Lamai	^[8]
1980	Ganga Addara
1982	Yahalu Yeheli	^[8]
1984	Maya
1988	Sagara Jalaya Madi Handuwa Oba Handa
1996	Loku Duwa
1997	Duwata Mawaka Misa
2003	Sakman Maluwa	^[8]
2018	Vaishnavee

Personal life and death

Sumitra married Lester James Peries (1919–2018) on June 19, 1964, at All Saints Church, Borella, and a reception was held at the residence of Anton Wickremasinghe afterwards.

Peries died on January 19, 2023, at the age of 87.^[9]

Honours

The title of Kala Keerthi by the Government of Sri Lanka in 2005
The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays by the Government of Japan in 2021 ^[10]
Awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Kelaniya for her outstanding contribution to local cinema.^[11]

Awards

Rana Thisara Lifetime Achievement Award (1993)^[12]

The Lester James Peries and Sumitra Peries Foundation

The Lester James Peries and Sumitra Peries Foundation was inaugurated in 2011, at the BMICH with an oration by the chief guest, celebrated Indian film-maker Padma Vibushan Dr. Adoor Gopalakrishnan, and the Speaker of Parliament, Chamal Rajapakse, as the Guest of Honor. The Foundation is incorporated through an act of Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.^[13]

References

^ Doraiswamy, Rashmi; Padgaonkar, Latika (2 February 2011). Asian Film Journeys: Selections from Cinemaya. New Delhi: SCB Distributors. ISBN 978-81-8328-208-6. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
^ "Sumithra in the making of another cinematic gem". Sunday Times. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
^ "Profile:(Hollywood.com)". Hollywood.com. 12 January 2008. Archived from the original on 25 January 2013.
^ "Sumitra Peries a female idol". Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka). 22 September 2002. Archived from the original on 1 October 2002.
^ "A celebration between two celebrities". Daily News (Sri Lanka). 19 October 2002. Archived from the original on 24 August 2003.
^ "Sumitra Peries obituary: 'the poetess of Sri Lankan cinema'". BFI. 20 January 2023.
^ "Keeping in touch with the French". Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). 19 October 1997. ISSN 1391-0531.
^ ^a ^b ^c Susitha, Fernando (17 December 2006). "Sumithra in the making of another cinematic gem". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
^ Veteran Sri Lankan filmmaker Sumitra Peries passes away
^ "The Ceremony of Conferment of 'The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays" on Kala Keerthi Mrs. Sumitra Peries". .lk.emb-japan.go.jp. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
^ "Sumithra Peiris with a PhD from the University of Kelaniya". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
^ "Achievements". (lesternsumitra.com). 12 January 2008. Archived from the original on 11 March 2008. Retrieved 12 February 2008.
^ "Lester-Sumitra Foundation celebrates first anniversary". www.sundaytimes.lk. 20 May 2012. Retrieved 31 March 2024.

External links

[1] Doraiswamy, Rashmi; Padgaonkar, Latika (2 February 2011). Asian Film Journeys: Selections from Cinemaya. New Delhi: SCB Distributors. ISBN 978-81-8328-208-6. Retrieved 19 January 2023.

[2] "Sumithra in the making of another cinematic gem". Sunday Times. Retrieved 8 December 2019.

[sumitra3-3] "Profile:(Hollywood.com)". Hollywood.com. 12 January 2008. Archived from the original on 25 January 2013.

[sumitra4-4] "Sumitra Peries a female idol". Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka). 22 September 2002. Archived from the original on 1 October 2002.

[sumitra6-5] "A celebration between two celebrities". Daily News (Sri Lanka). 19 October 2002. Archived from the original on 24 August 2003.

[6] "Sumitra Peries obituary: 'the poetess of Sri Lankan cinema'". BFI. 20 January 2023.

[sumitra5-7] "Keeping in touch with the French". Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). 19 October 1997. ISSN 1391-0531.

[<ref-8] Susitha, Fernando (17 December 2006). "Sumithra in the making of another cinematic gem". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 22 November 2023.

[9] Veteran Sri Lankan filmmaker Sumitra Peries passes away

[10] "The Ceremony of Conferment of 'The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays" on Kala Keerthi Mrs. Sumitra Peries". .lk.emb-japan.go.jp. Retrieved 19 March 2021.

[11] "Sumithra Peiris with a PhD from the University of Kelaniya". Sarasaviya. Retrieved 30 December 2021.

[sumitra1-12] "Achievements". (lesternsumitra.com). 12 January 2008. Archived from the original on 11 March 2008. Retrieved 12 February 2008.

[13] "Lester-Sumitra Foundation celebrates first anniversary". www.sundaytimes.lk. 20 May 2012. Retrieved 31 March 2024.

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