The Lux Sarasaviya Film Awards, the biggest cinema festival in Sri Lanka, will take place at 5.30 p.m. on March 28 at the BMICH, under the patronage of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, with Transport, Highways and Media Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardena as Special Guest of Honour.
Commercial Bank Senior Manager (Marketing) Irosha Wettasinghe
presenting the Banking Partner agreement to ANCL Chairman
Prof. Harendra Kariyawasam
The Sarasaviya film magazine is marking its 60th anniversary and this will be the 35th Sarasaviya Film Awards. Unilever (Lux) is the main sponsor of the event with Commercial Bank as the official banking partner. Sarasaviya Awards are renowned throughout the world and most cinema artistes consider getting a Sarasaviya award as the pinnacle of their career.
One example is the international recognition gained by the film “Gamperaliya” in New Delhi and elsewhere after it won a Sarasaviya Award. Sarasaviya Awards are often also compared to the Film Fare awards on India and over the years, the two awards ceremonies have harmonised their synergies for the betterment of South Asian cinema.
This year the awards will be given for the films released in 2019 and 2020, with 64 awards. The Sarasaviya Film Awards were last held in 2018 and could not be held in subsequent years due to Covid restrictions.
Unilever Marketing Director Shamara Silva presenting
the main sponsorship cheque to ANCL Chairman
Prof. Harendra Kariyawasam
Hence the selection of films released in 2019 and 2020 for the awards this year. The awards will be selected by an eminent panel of five jury members, all cinema experts, for the 40 films nominated this year.
Out of the 30 films screened in 2019, 28 and 12 films screened in 2020 will compete separately for 24 awards in the competition section for their respective years. The awards will be presented by an independent panel of judges. The award recipients will get the famous Sarasaviya statuettes designed by eminent Sri Lankan sculptor Tissa Ranasinghe. The organisers hope to make it an annual event for the benefit of all film makers and cinemagoers in the country.
This year, Sarasaviya’s Popular Actor and Actress will be chosen by readers and subscribers of Sarasaviya and other ANCL newspapers. The award for the Hit Movie or the movie most appreciated by audiences will be selected based on revenue records of the respective year.
ITN Chairman Attorney-at-Law Sudarshana Gunawardana briefs the press
Two once-in-a-lifetime Ranathisara awards are to be presented for the mission of devoting one’s life to the cause of cinema. This year’s Ranathisara Award has been named the Dr. Lester James Peries Memorial Ranathisara Award in honour of the legendary cinema director who created a turning point in local cinema with the breakthrough movie “Rekawa” (Line of Destiny). Moreover, the movie was shot entirely outdoors in contrast to the studio culture that prevailed in the 1950s and all the songs were also originals, not copied from Hindi or Tamil movies.
The Ranapala Bodhinagoda Memorial Literary Award, which is given for excellence in cinema literature, will be presented this year and the organising committee has decided to give two awards for the year 2019 and 2020.
This award is named after one of the most eminent former Chairmen of the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited (ANCL), publisher of the Sarasaviya. For the progress of the film industry, an award will also presented to the Popular Film of the Year, chosen by the jury. This may however be not the highest grossing movie for a particular year.
Prof. Harendra Kariyawasam, ANCL Chairman said: The Sarasaviya film magazine commenced in 1963; that’s exactly 60 years ago. The first awards ceremony was in 1964. The year 2018 was the last time Associated Newspapers of Ceylon (ANCL) held the award ceremony. After that, we could not hold the Sarasaviya Film Awards due to Covid. After 30 years, I am delighted that Unilever Sri Lanka (Lux) has joined as the main sponsor.
Sarasaviya Editor Dr. Nuwan Nayanajith Kumara addresses the gathering
The Dinamina is the only newspaper that had published continuously in Sri Lanka for 114 years. Moreover, ANCL is the leading media organisation that publishes daily and weekly newspapers in all three languages.
The Lake House Board of Directors has successfully faced challenges at a time when the print media is undergoing a lot of deterioration and facing severe challenges. We are oriented towards print media as well as digital media. Among them, the Sarasaviya and other periodicals are at the top of the digital space today.
Among the previous Sarasaviya editors are Meemana Premathilaka, Wimalasiri Perera, A.D. Ranjith Kumara, Granville Silva, Thilakaratna Kuruwita Bandara, Anura Bandara Rajaguru, Sunil Mihindukula and Aruna Gunaratna.
Dr. Nuwan Nayanajith Kumara, Editor-in-Chief of the Sarasaviya said: “As Sri Lanka’s greatest arts festival, the Sarasaviya Awards sets precedents as the pioneer forerunner of all the award ceremonies today.
The first periodical dedicated to film was launched in 1952 with the ‘Cinema’ magazine. The Sarasaviya started as the 46th cinema newspaper on April 10, 1963. Since then, 115 cinema newspapers have started and stopped till now.
Unilever Marketing Director Shamara Silva addresses the gathering
The Sarasaviya, which started as the 46th, endured while all the other 114 periodicals went out of print. This makes us proud. Unilever, through Lux, is an institution associated with the image of actresses all over the world and in Sri Lanka.
It has been associated with actresses from Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, India’s Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Sri Lanka’s Malini Fonseka to the modern generation of actresses. The fact that it has joined with us after three decades is humbly appreciated by the ANCL and the current Sarasaviya Editorial Board. We are also glad that ITN, the first TV station to broadcast a Sinhala film back in 1979, has joined hands with ANCL and Lux for the 35th Lux Sarasaviya Awards.
Shamara Silva, Marketing Director of Unilever Sri Lanka said: “The Sarasaviya Awards can be called the biggest ceremony in Sri Lankan cinema. In 2024, the Lux brand name is celebrating its centenary. At that time we thought that we should get involved in a bigger way with local cinema. Cinema connects people. As an organisation that builds the cinema industry, we thought that we should be involved. We should all join hands for the advancement of art and cinema.”
The company was also represented at the press briefing by Chetaka Gunawardane (Category Head), M.Ishfaaq (Brand Manager, Lux) and Harini Rajadasa (Head, Regulatory and Corporate Affairs).
ANCL, Unilever and Commercial Bank officials at the press briefing
Attorney-at-Law Sudarshan Seneviratne, Chairman of ITN, said: “We are an institution with a great interest in art. Joining this event extends our contribution to the arts. The fact that we (ITN and Lake House) are two sister institutions under the Ministry of Mass Media can also be cited as another reason. In terms of teledramas, we have innovated a lot. But cinema can be called as the first and foremost art of all of them. We thought that this art form should be highlighted when the local cinema is facing challenges.”
Commercial Bank joined hands with ANCL as the Official Banking Partner for the Sarasaviya Awards and its Senior Manager Marketing Irosha Wettasinghe and other representatives including Ujith Wijedasa (Manager Media) and Madura Pandikorala (Senior Assistant manager Marketing) participated in the media conference.
Lake House Editorial Director veteran journalist Sisira Paranatantrie, Legal Director Attorney-at-Law Janaka Ranatunga, Finance Director Dr. Sunil Jayantha Navaratne, Senior Editors, General Manager Sumith Kothalawala, Additional General Manager Virajith Bois, ANCL Company Secretary Sudarshi Hewawasam, Deputy General Manager – Advertising Chinthaka Prasanna Yapa, Deputy General Manager Human Resources Pramitha Jayamaha and Deputy General Manager – Corporate Affairs Chandana Bandara were also present.
Sinhala films screened in 2019
Ginnen Upan Seethala, Sangili, Thaala, Nethi Beri Tarzan, Dekala Purudu Kenek, Asandhimitta, Sulanga Api Ragena Yaawi, Saama Kumaru, Sansaraye Dadayakkaraya, Katha karana Heena, Weli Pavuru, Iskoleta Man Awa, Titta Atta, Subha Therani, Face to Face, Sikuru Yogaya, President Super Star, Jaya Sri Minister, Husma, Maanaya, Rush, Vijayaba Kollaya, U Turn, Parthiban, Gori, Eka Rene Kurullo, Reload, Saki, Ula Leni, Vishama Bagha
Sinhala films screened in 2020
Panshu, Miss Jenis, Tsunami, The Newspaper, Rukada Panchi, Avilena Sului, Susthi, Ethalaya, Seda Mawatha, Shelina, Suparna, Horn
How to nominate your favourite actor or actress for Most Popular category
Send in the coupons published in ANCL newspapers nominating your favourite actor and actress. While you can send any number of coupons, please note that only original coupons (no photocopies) will be accepted. You can send them by post or drop them at the box at the Editorial Entrance of Lake House. You can also send in your nominations by normal SMS (not Whatsapp or Viber) by typing LS (Space) Year (Space) Name of your favourite actor or actress to 076 7074734. You can send any number of SMS entries.
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The awards to be presented this year
Most popular Film – 2019/2020
Beat Emerging Actor/Actress (Lux Award for 2019 and 2020)
Lux Most Popular Actor/Actress
Most Popular Actor/Actress (chosen via coupons and SMS votes) 2019/2020
Most attractive film – 2019/2020
Merit Awards (3 each for 2019 and 2020)
Best playback singer (female) -2019/2020
Best playback singer (male) -2019/2020
Best lyricist – 2019/2020
Best Music Direction – 2019/2020
Best Sound Engineering – 2019/2020
Ranapala Bodhinagoda Memorial Film Literature Award – 2019/2020
Dr. Lester James Piries Memorial Ranathisara Award – 2019/2020
Best make-up artiste – 2019/2020
Best editing – 2019/2020
Best Cinematography – 2019/2020
Best screenplay – 2019/2020
Best Supporting Actress – 2019/2020
Best Supporting Actor – 2019/2020
Best Actress – 2019/2020
Best Actor – 2019/2020
Best Director – 2019/2020
Best Film – 2019/2020
Translated by Jonathan Frank
Pix: Nissanka Wijerathne
