Sumitra Peries

Sumitra Peries was a famous movie maker. She was the first woman to lead films in Sri Lanka. People called her a poet of film.

She went on a big ship to Europe. She studied how to make movies there. She learned to direct and make films.

Sumitra made many movies. Some were called Ganga Addara and Yahaluvo. She won many awards for her work.

She also worked for her land. She was an ambassador to other lands. She helped people in France and Spain.

She was married to a movie maker too. They started a foundation to help others. Her work changed movies forever.

Sumitra Peries was a famous filmmaker from Sri Lanka. She was the first woman to direct films there. People called her the "Poetess of Sinhala Cinema." This name shows how much they loved her art.

As a young woman, she traveled to Europe by ship. She wanted to meet her brother. While there, she studied how to make movies. She earned a diploma in film direction.

Sumitra made many popular movies. Some of her films were titled Ganga Addara and Yahaluvo. She won a big award for her work. It was for the best director in fifty years of cinema.

She also served her country in other ways. She was an ambassador to France and Spain. She also worked for the United Nations.

Sumitra was married to Lester James Peries. He was also a famous film director. Together, they started a foundation in 2011. This group helps people through an act of Parliament. She passed away in 2023 at age 87. Her work changed film history.

Sumitra Peries was a famous filmmaker from Sri Lanka. She was the first woman to direct films in her country. Many people called her the "Poetess of Sinhala Cinema." This special name shows how much people loved her art. She was a very important person in the world of movies. Her work helped change how stories were told on screen.

Making movies is a big job that takes many steps. Sumitra learned how to do this in London. She studied at the London School of Film Technique. Between 1957 and 1959, she earned a diploma. This diploma was in film direction and production. She learned how to lead a crew and tell stories. This training helped her become a great director.

Sumitra's life was full of travel and learning. She went to school in Avissawella and Colombo. She attended Visakha Vidyalaya and Aquinas College. At age 20, she took a big step. She traveled to Europe by ship to find her brother, Gamini. She wanted to start a career there. This journey helped her find her path in film.

She made many movies that people still remember today. Some of her popular films were Ganga Addara and Yahaluvo. She also directed a film called Gehenu Lamai in 1978. In 1982, she made the film Yahalu Yeheli. She even won an award for best director. This was for fifty years of Sri Lankan cinema.

Sumitra did many important things for her country. She was an ambassador to France and Spain. She also worked for the United Nations. She married the director Lester James Peries in 1964. In 2011, they started a foundation to help others. This foundation was started at the BMICH. She passed away in 2023 at age 87.

Sumitra Peries was a pioneering filmmaker from Sri Lanka. She holds the distinction of being the first female film director in her nation. Because of the beauty in her work, people called her the "Poetess of Sinhala Cinema." This title reflects the artistic quality she brought to the screen. Her career spanned many decades and influenced the entire film industry. She was a central figure in the development of Sri Lankan cinema.

Peries followed a specific path to master the craft of filmmaking. She began her education in Avissawella before moving to Colombo. She attended Visakha Vidyalaya and later joined Aquinas College Colombo. At age 20, she traveled to Europe by ship to find her brother, Gamini. This journey led her to the London School of Film Technique. There, she studied film direction and production. Between 1957 and 1959, she earned a professional diploma. This training provided the technical foundation for her future directing career.

Her filmography includes many notable works that shaped local culture. She directed the film Gehenu Lamai in 1978. Other popular films include Ganga Addara and Yahaluvo. In 1982, she released the film Yahalu Yeheli. Her later work included Maya in 1984 and Sagara Jalaya Madi Handuwa in 1988. She continued directing through the 1990s with Loku Duwa in 1996. Even as she grew older, she remained active in the arts. She directed the film Vaishnavee in 2018.

Peries achieved significant recognition throughout her life. She won an award for the best film director in fifty years of Sri Lankan cinema. The Government of Sri Lanka gave her the title of Kala Keerthi in 2005. She also received an honorary doctorate from the University of Kelaniya. This degree recognized her outstanding contribution to local cinema. Her influence even reached outside of her own country. In 2021, the Government of Japan awarded her the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays.

Her personal life was closely tied to the world of cinema. On June 19, 1964, she married Dr. Lester James Peries at All Saints Church in Borella. Lester James Peries was the most prolific film director in Sri Lanka. Together, they became a powerful force in the arts. They established the Lester James Peries and Sumitra Peries Foundation in 2011. This foundation was incorporated through an act of Parliament. It was inaugurated at the BMICH with a special oration.

The foundation serves to support the cinematic legacy of the couple. The inauguration featured several important figures. The celebrated Indian filmmaker Padma Vibushan Dr. Adoor Gopalakrishnan served as the chief guest. Chamal Rajapakse, the Speaker of Parliament, attended as the Guest of Honor. This foundation helps ensure that their impact on film continues. It stands as a formal institution within the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. It connects her personal history to the official cultural structures of the nation.

Sumitra Peries also served her country in diplomatic roles. In the late 1990s, she held the post of Sri Lankan ambassador. She represented her nation to France and Spain. She also served as a permanent delegate to the United Nations. This role allowed her to connect Sri Lankan culture to the global community. She passed away on January 19, 2023. She was 87 years old at the time of her death. Her life remains a vital part of Sri Lankan history.