Prasanna Vithanage films released on DVDs

Four films, including internationally acclaimed direction of award winning filmmaker, Prasanna Vithanage is now available as one pack of DVD and VCD set. Released by Torana Music Box, Prasanna's acclaimed 'Anantha Rathriya' (Dark of Night of the Soul), Pawuru Walalu (Walls Within), 'Purahanda Kaluwara' (Death on a Full Moon Day) and 'Ira Mediyama' (August Sun) are in the package titled "Prasanna Vithanage Film Collection".

Directed in 1996, Prasanna's second feature ' Anantha Rathriya ' (Dark Night of the Soul), which he wrote and directed participated in several international film Festivals and won a Jury's Special Mention at the First Pusan International Film festival. The film also won all the main awards at the 1996 Sri Lanka Film Critics Forum Awards (affiliated to FIPRESCI) including awards for Most Outstanding Film, Best Director and Best Scriptwriter.

Produced by the veteran actress, Nita Fernando, 'Pawuru Walalu ' (Walls Within), his third feature in 1997 won the Best Actress Award for Nita Fernando in her role as Violet, at the 1998 Singapore International Film Festival. It also won ten out of eleven awards for the Best Picture and Best Director at the Sri Lanka Film Critics Forum Awards.

The controversy ridden 'Purahanda Kaluwara' in 1997, which he wrote and directed was produced by NHK (Japanese Broadcasting Corporation) and won the Grand Prix at the Amiens Film Festival. Initially banned by the government of Sri Lanka, it has since become the most successful film in the more than half a century history of cinema in Sri Lanka.

The latest among the films released here so far, "Ira Madiyama" was based on true incidents, the storyline is based on the ethnic conflict and the ensuring military confrontation between Sri Lankan armed forces and LTTE separatists. The three different plots in three different geographical locations in Sri Lanka, come directly under the spell of the war. They run parallel and are linked by seemingly simple elements in the grip of a destructive civil war.

'Ira Madiyama' won Grand Prix (Special Mention) 'Le Regard d'or' - Fribourg International Film Festival 2004, FIPRESCI-NETPAC Award at 17th Singapore International Film Festival 2004, Best Film, Silver Award - Las Palmas International Film Festival 2004, Best Actress - Las Palmas International Film Festival 2004, Grand Jury Prize - 6th Makati Cinemanila International Film Festival 2004 and 10 Presidential Awards and 9 Sarasavi Film Awards locally. The collection with English subtitles is augmented with special features including a stills gallery and featurettes and the DVD set retails at Rs. 2500 while its VCD version sells at Rs. 1,500.