Restored Classics
The Girls / Gahanu Lamai
Sumitra Peries
Director's bio
Sumitra Peries
Sumitra Peries (1935–2023) was Sri Lanka’s first female film director, celebrated as the “Poetess of Sinhala Cinema” for her lyrical storytelling and pioneering role in the industry. Born in Avissawella, she studied in Colombo before pursuing film editing in Paris, where she trained at the Institut des Hautes Études Cinématographiques. Returning to Sri Lanka, she married legendary filmmaker Lester James Peries and began her own career, breaking barriers in a male-dominated field. Her debut feature Gehenu Lamai (1978) was a landmark in Sinhala cinema, followed by acclaimed works such as Ganga Addara (1980), Yahaluvo (1978), Sagara Jalaya Madi Handuwa Oba Handa (1988), Loku Duwa (1994), and Vaishnavee (2017). Known for her sensitive portrayals of women and nuanced explorations of social change, she brought a poetic sensibility to Sri Lankan cinema. Beyond filmmaking, she served as Sri Lanka’s ambassador to France, Spain, and the United Nations in the late 1990s, furthering cultural diplomacy.
Synopsis
Kusum, a dutiful girl, falls in love with Nimal, an upper class boy, in whose house she works. Nimal’s mother is outraged when she finds out about the relationship as Kusum belongs to a lower class and sacks her, leading to Kusum breaking off all contact with Nimal. The film is a lyrical exploration of the end of innocence and romantic dreams of two young girls crushed by the heavy hand of tradition and patriarchy.
Details of Cast
Joe Abeywickrama, Vasanthi Chathurani, Ajith Jinadasa, Shyama Anandan
Details of Crew
DoP: M. S. Ananda Editor: Sumitra Peries Music: Nimal Mendis
Producer Details
Lester James Peries
Writer Details
Sumitra Peries
Stills
Films in this category
1925
The Gold Rush
1987
Blind Chance
1925
Battleship Potemkin
1957
Padatha Painkili
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