Sumitra Peries’ ‘Gehenu Lamai’ Sri Lankan cinematic masterpiece scheduled for world premiere at 2025 Cannes Film Festival

The idea to restore ‘Gehenu Lamai’ began in 2018 when Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, Director of Film Heritage Foundation, along with members of International Federation for Film Archives (FIAF) travelled to Colombo for a rescue mission and visited all film storage spaces; the NFC Headquarters, National Archives, government film archive, NFC Film Archive at Sarasavi Studios. They were faced with a collection of about 30,000 film reels that were in a poor condition and stored in appalling conditions. 

Sumitra Peries’ debut cinematic masterpiece ‘Gehenu Lamai’ (1978) restored by the Film Heritage Foundation in association with the Lester James Peries and Sumitra Peries Foundation has been selected for a world premiere at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival this year.

The film has been restored under the aegis of France-India-Sri Lanka Cine Heritage (FISCH), a pioneering international collaboration between Film Heritage Foundation, the Embassy of France and the French Institute in India, in a bid to restore and preserve cinematic heritage. 

The idea to restore ‘Gehenu Lamai’ began in 2018 when Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, Director of Film Heritage Foundation, along with members of International Federation for Film Archives (FIAF) travelled to Colombo for a rescue mission and visited all film storage spaces; the NFC Headquarters, National Archives, government film archive, NFC Film Archive at Sarasavi Studios. They were faced with a collection of about 30,000 film reels that were in a poor condition and stored in appalling conditions. 

Speaking about the history of film restoration in Sri Lanka, Sudath Mahadivulwewa, Chairman, National Film Corporation said that back in 1965, Dr. Lester James Peries initiated the first discourse on film restoration. He made these remarks during a press conference held to announce the significant milestone in the history of Sri Lankan cinema. 

“Thereafter Dr. Peries proposed the establishment of a film restoration facility in an intermediate zone with moderate weather. Understanding the importance of this discourse, four individuals namely Dr. D. B Nihalsinghe, Ravindra Randeniya, Gamini Fonseka and Malini Fonseka continued the discussion on film restoration within and outside parliament. As a result, a film restoration facility was established in a section of the National Archives in 2007. This was named after Dr. Lester James Peries,” he added. 

In 2004, following the demise of Gamini Fonseka, his son Damith Fonseka took steps to initiate the Gamini Fonseka Foundation with an objective of restoring five of his films. When he was looking for opportunities to restore this film,  he came across the Film Heritage Foundation. “The friendship that developed between Film Heritage Foundation Director Shivendra Singh Dungarpur and Damith Fonseka is a significant milestone in this journey. During a workshop it was revealed that Sri Lanka has nine cellulose nitrate films and these were eventually handed over to the film restoration facility. A committee appointed in 1996 selected the ten best films that deserve to be restored. Out of these ten films, the Film Heritage Foundation proposes to restore films such as ‘Thummanhandiya’, ‘Gamperaliya’, ‘Parasathu Mal’ and ‘GehenuLamai’,” he continued.

Mahadivulwewa further said that almost all former NFC Chairpersons have been actively involved in restoring films.

 “In 2024, the French Government provided 10 grants as funding for film restoration. Eligible candidates from Sri Lanka, India and Kerala were provided with these grants. In fact, the film ‘Gehenu Lamai’ is the first project under the FISCH project. For this purpose, surviving film elements of ‘Gehenu Lamai’ preserved at the National Film Corporation – a 35 mm combined dupe negative and two first generation 35 mm release prints were shipped to L’Immagine Ritrovata, the film restoration lab in Bologna. The film will have its red carpet moment as it premiere at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival this year under my tenure as the NFC Chairman,” he added. 

Speaking at the media briefing, Wasanthi Chathurani, lead actress of ‘GehenuLamai’ said that she is overwhelmed that the film would be premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, 47 years after it was released. She acknowledged the guidance given by Dr. Lester James Peries and Sumitra Peries and their mentorship that inspired her to continue her career on the silver screen. “I was just 16 and was still schooling when Sumitra Peries selected me for the role of Kusum. Initially I was very nervous and almost gave up. But she was so patient and she taught me the nuances of acting and how to face the camera. I stayed out of the film scene for some time and rejected several invitations. I feel privileged to share this prestigious moment in the history of Sri Lankan cinema,” she added. 

In his comments, French Ambassador to Sri Lanka Remi Lambert said that France is quite honored to stand alongside Sri Lanka to retain its rich cinematic heritage alive.

 “In choosing to restore ‘Gehenu Lamai’ we sought not only to safeguard a cornerstone of Sri Lanka’s film history, but also to bring a masterpiece of women’s storytelling back into light. The choice felt like an obvious one : what stronger symbol than to restore such an essential cinematic landmark which showcases Sri Lankan women’s cultural heritage, all the more so as it was directed by an artist who was, quite literally, an ambassador of Franco-Sri Lankan relations,” he opined. 

Lambert further said that the spotlight on Sri Lankan cinema at Cannes this year is a profound source of pride.

Accomplished film editor, filmmaker, producer and diplomat Sumitra Peries was a woman who wore many hats and was a pre-eminent figure in the world of Sri Lankan cinema. The film, ‘Gehenu Lamai’ is set in rural Sri Lanka and is a delicate, poetic and heartbreaking tale of two sisters whose dreams and aspirations fade due to insurmountable class barriers. Kusum, played by Wasanthi Chathurani, falls in love with Nimal played by Ajith Jinadasa, an upper class boy in whose house she works. However, Nimal’s mother objects to this relationship due to the class barrier. Kusum’s happy-go-lucky sister Soma’s dreams of becoming a beauty queen but she becomes pregnant with an illegitimate child. The dreamy black and white imagery is a lyrical exploration of how the dreams and aspirations of two young girls get crushed by tradition, morality and patriarchy.