RIYADH-The Sri Lankan film “Nela” directed by Bennett Rathnayake screened as a part of the “Ambassador’s Choice: Film Festival” on Sunday, November 29 at the Indian embassy auditoriu
The event was organized by the Embassy of India in Saudi Arabia, partnering with several resident Missions including the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Riyadh.
This event was attended by several members of the diplomatic corps, Saudi nationals, members of the Sri Lankan community, and expatriates based in the Kingdom.
In his remarks, prior to the screening of the movie, His Excellency P.M. Amza, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to KSA gave a short introduction to Sri Lanka’s film industry. Ambassador stated that the history of the film industry goes back to the year 1925 when the first Sri Lankan Silent movie “ Rajakeeya Vikramaya” was screened. He also highlighted the great contribution by veteran film directors such as Dr. Lester James Peries, Tissa Abeysekara, Chandran Rutnam, Dr. D.B. Nihalsingha, Udayakantha Warnasooriya, H.D.Premaratne, Ashoka Handagama, Prasanna Vithanage, and Vimukthi Jayasundara who have acclaimed the international recognition for their works and given breathe to a new life into the cinema industry in Sri Lanka. As the film was based on the story of the tea plantation era in the early 20th century, the Ambassador said that Sri Lanka tea is still produced with maximum human intervention which ensures the quality.
The festival screens 12 selected movies of diverse genres, which include among others, many acclaimed movies such as Nil Batte Sannata from India, Hamilton from US, Scales from Saudi, Gurrumul from Australia, and Mexican film Mezquite’s Heart.
