Country’s most experienced filmmaker Dr. Lester James Peries turns 91 tomorrow,
April 5.
Lester, the man who was responsible for creating an identity to Sri Lankan cinema with his very first film ‘Rekhawa’ was honoured locally and internationally for his rare feat.
For more than 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.
However, though the master filmmaker has brought rare honour to this tiny island with his creative works, he still has a dream to be realized for the future of country’s cinema. A film archive, a promise none of the successful governments or the authorities including the present has failed to achieve.
“This is a long request I have been making from all the governments. But everybody had turned deaf ear to this most essential need for the development of country’s film industry,” Lester told the TV Times.
As a result of having no cinema archives the whole film loving world has lost the negatives of a number of his films including ‘Nidanaya’ which was named as the Best film of the first 50 years of Sri Lankan cinema. Some of the other films even today are at different stages of deteriorating.
While wishing long life to the great master of cinema we urge the authorities to fulfil the dream of the architect of country’s cinema as a respect and tribute to him. |
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