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A Cinematic Gem from Sri Lanka

Renowned Sri Lankan filmmaker Prasanna Vithanage recalls his teenage years in 1978 when he first experienced the enchanting narrative of adolescence in Sumitra Peries’s film Gehenu Lamai. This cinematic piece, which explores a young girl's pivotal moments, captivated Vithanage, who described it as akin to an Impressionist artwork.

Vithanage, a leading figure in Sri Lankan cinema, noted, “Sumitra had a unique vision and employed cinematic language poetically.” His admiration for Gehenu Lamai led him to watch it multiple times in theaters, and its charm continues to resonate decades later.

Peries’s debut feature, which she both wrote and edited, is celebrated for its rhythmic storytelling and emotional depth. Gehenu Lamai is set to be showcased at this year's Cannes Film Festival (May 13-24) in the classics and restored titles section.

The film will be presented alongside Satyajit Ray’s Aranyer Din Ratri (1970) by the Film Heritage Foundation, an organization committed to preserving cinematic history.

The Sri Lankan team for Gehenu Lamai will feature lead actors Vasanthi Chaturani and Ajith Jinadasa. The screening of Aranyer Din Ratri will see attendance from notable figures, including lead actor Sharmila Tagore and acclaimed director Wes Anderson.

For Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, founder of the Film Heritage Foundation, this moment is particularly poignant as he brings two projects to Cannes. He expressed that the restoration of Gehenu Lamai represents years of dedication to showcasing the gems of Sri Lankan cinema.

Dungarpur first met Sumitra Peries and her husband, filmmaker Lester James Peries, in 2009 while in Sri Lanka for a commercial shoot. Actor Ravindra Rendeniya, who starred in Lester James Peries’s Desa Nisa (1975), introduced Dungarpur to the director, recognized as a pioneer of Sri Lankan cinema.

Having viewed several of Peries’s films during his studies at the Film and Television Institute of India, Dungarpur sought to interview her for his documentary Celluloid Man (2012), inspired by her fond recollections of archivist PK Nair during their 2009 meeting.

“During our discussion about Nair, Lester mentioned that none of his films had been restored and were in poor condition,” Dungarpur recalled. He subsequently connected Peries with the World Cinema Project, founded by Martin Scorsese, leading to the restoration of her 1972 classic Nidhanaya (Treasure).

Over the years, Dungarpur maintained contact with the Peries couple during his visits to Sri Lanka. “They were incredibly warm, and Sumitra’s laughter filled their home in Colombo,” he shared. Eventually, discussions turned to the possibility of restoring Sumitra Peries’s films, starting with Gehenu Lamai.

“Sumitra provided me with six DVDs and handwritten notes detailing the order for restoration,” Dungarpur explained. Despite the DVD version of Gehenu Lamai not showcasing its technical brilliance, he was captivated.

“It’s a pure cinematic work,” he stated. “Structurally, it’s impressive and doesn’t feel like a debut film. The textures and compositions remind me of contemporary Malayalam films in India.”

Gehenu Lamai is indeed remarkable, infused with the intense emotions characteristic of adolescence, particularly for girls.

The narrative follows Kusum (Vasanthi Chathurani), who is in love with Nimal (Ajith Jinadasa), despite their differing social backgrounds. While Nimal is passionate about Sri Lanka’s post-colonial future, Kusum is dutiful and responsible towards her family. When her sister enters a beauty contest and becomes pregnant, Kusum faces a dilemma between love and obligation.

Adapted from Karunasena Jayalath’s novel, the story unfolds through poetic sequences and authentic performances. Sumitra Peries’s depiction of girlhood possesses a sensuous quality, particularly in scenes featuring Kusum and Nimal, often framed against lush greenery that mirrors her emotional landscape.

The film’s intimate close-ups and dappled lighting were crafted by MS Ananda, a prominent cinematographer in Sri Lankan cinema, as noted by Vithanage.

Shyama, Ananda’s daughter, who later starred in several films directed by him, plays Kusum’s friend Padmini in Gehenu Lamai. The film subtly hints at Padmini’s affection for Kusum, a progressive notion for the 1970s.

“Gehenu Lamai relies heavily on visuals to express the characters' emotions and their relationships,” Vithanage noted. “Before this film, such depictions of male-female relationships were unprecedented. It was quite groundbreaking.”

Sumitra Peries, who passed away in 2023, was among the first female directors in Sri Lankan cinema. (Her husband died in 2018.) While three women had directed films prior to her, none matched Peries’s artistic vision or impact.

“Before Gehenu Lamai, Sumitra was both Lester’s life and artistic partner,” Vithanage remarked. “With this film, she emerged from his shadow to establish her own identity. We often spoke on the phone, and she was planning her next project until the end.”

In an essay featured in the anthology Asian Film Journeys – Selections from Cinemaya, Sri Lankan critic Ashley Ratnavibhushana notes that Peries began her career as an editor for her husband’s acclaimed film Gamperaliya (The Changing Village, 1963). “Rather than pursuing a feminist cinema, she aimed for a feminine sensitivity, a quality she maintained throughout her career,” Ratnavibhushana writes.

Despite its acclaim, Gehenu Lamai was in poor condition when the Film Heritage Foundation and the Lester James Peries and Sumitra Peries Foundation initiated its restoration. A grant from FISCH: France-India-Sri Lanka Cine Heritage – Saving Film Across Borders facilitated the 4K restoration from prints preserved at the National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka.

“This was one of the most challenging restorations due to the critical state of the material,” Dungarpur explained. “There were embedded subtitles that needed removal.”

The restoration was executed by the L’Immagine Ritrovata lab in Bologna, Italy, with consultations from technicians who had worked on the original 1978 production, as well as the lead actors.

“Several reels suffered from tears, broken sprockets, blockage, shrinkage, emulsion damage, and warping,” a press note stated. “Sound restoration posed significant challenges, with generally low quality and issues like clicks, crackles, and hiss across all reels, along with physical gaps and damaged optical soundtracks rendering parts inaudible.”

The newly restored version is expected to be a revelation for Cannes attendees. Gehenu Lamai will be screened alongside classics such as Mikio Naruse’s Floating Clouds (1955), Stanley Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon (1975), and Edward Yang’s Yi Yi (2000).

In its delicate portrayal of unspoken emotions and masterful use of cinematic techniques, Gehenu Lamai resonates with Payal Kapadia’s Cannes-winning All We Imagine As Light (2024). Kapadia, a jury member at Cannes this year, makes Gehenu Lamai’s presence at the festival particularly relevant.

“The film embodies sensuality without overt expression,” Vithanage remarked. “It conveys a profound connection to nature, evoking a sense of innocence.”

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