Legendary filmmaker Lester James Peries, the man who was responsible for creating an identity to Sri Lankan cinema turns 90 today, April 5. Having achieved international appreciation and recognition for his extraordinary feat, over his half-a-century filmmaking journey Lester was awarded with Felllini Gold Medal by UNESCO as a tribute to his film career, Lifetime Achievement Award at the prestigious Indian Film Festival, honoured with Commandeur (Commander) in the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Order of Arts and Letters) from the French Government and Diploma of Honour at Venice Film Festival for his film ‘Conquest in the Dry Zone” in 1954.
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| Legendary filmmaker Lester James Peries |
Lester started his feature filmmaking in 1956, with ‘Rekawa’ or ‘Line of Destiny’ which also was the decisive landmark in the destiny of Sri Lankan film history. Though ‘Rekawa’ was a “commercial failure in Ceylon” as the great filmmaker himself once said, it made to the Mecca of world cinema - France’s Cannes Film Festival - the following year. Rightly called the ‘Father of Modern Sinhala Cinema’, he paved the way for a whole new generation of avant-garde film directors, who similarly broke away from the stereotyped formula films and experimented with new forms and genres to critical acclaim.
From Rekawa to his last film ‘Ammawarune’ (An Elegy for Mother) Lester created twenty films most of which were landmarks in the Sri Lankan cinema winning international acclaim. For example ‘Gamperaliya’ (The Changing Village) the film based on Martin Wickremasinghe’s novel in 1963 was awarded the Grand Prix (Golden Peacock) at the Indian Film Festival in New Delhi and ‘Nidhanaya’ (1970) another masterpiece was twice invited for possible nomination in the Oscar foreign category but missed the entry deadline as there were only one English sub-titled print. “Such are the penalties of poverty” Lester concluded speaking to A. J. Gunawardena who wrote ‘LJP-Lester James Peries- Life and Work’. However it went to Venice Film Festival in 1972 and became one of the ‘Silver Lion’ winners.
However it is a tragedy that the country and the industry to which this great man served throughout his life could not pay back by fulfilling his long awaited dream of a film archive. The industry and all the governments which came to power made various promises including a film archive but even failed to rescue most of the film of doyen of cinema which would definitely be a part not only of cinema but the history of the country as well. Sadly out 20 majority films of Lester even today are at different stages of deterioration in various places while negatives of some of them have been lost forever.
Yet we know that Lester who always stands by the fresh younger generation is a man of optimism at all times and dreams of a better cinema and better future.
Great filmmaker, we wish you long life and may god bless you.
Sunday shows in honour of Lester
Sunday film shows on Rupavahini will be dedicated to country’s most senior filmmaker Dr. Lester James Peries.
Film telecast at 12.05 on every Sunday will kick off from internationally awarded ‘Gamperaliya’ on April 5, which is the veteran filmmakers 90th birthday. It will be followed by ‘Gehenu Lamai’ on April 12, Delowak Athara on April 19 and Lester’s maiden groundbreaking film ‘Rekawa’ on April 26. |
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