News Today: Restored Sinhala classic Gehenu Lamai selected for Cannes Film Festival’s Classics line-up.

In a historic milestone for Sri Lankan cinema, the iconic 1978 Sinhala-language film Gehenu Lamai (Girls), directed by the legendary Dr. Sumitra Peries, has been officially selected for the Cannes Classics section at the 78th Festival de Cannes. This honour shines a global spotlight on the film’s artistic and cultural significance as a cornerstone of South Asian cinema.

The 4K restored version of Gehenu Lamai will be screened next week in France, marking the film’s resurgence on the international stage. The restoration was expertly carried out by the Film Heritage Foundation in collaboration with the Lester James Peries and Sumitra Peries Foundation and the L’Immagine Ritrovata laboratory in Bologna. It was made possible under the France–India–Sri Lanka Cine Heritage (FISCH) initiative, with support from the French Embassies in Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and India.

In a proud moment for the country, the screening will be attended by the film’s lead stars Vasanthi Chathurani and Ajith Jinadasa, along with Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, Director of the Film Heritage Foundation, and Gayathri Mustachi, Chairperson of the Sumitra Peries Foundation.

Gehenu Lamai will be featured alongside Aranyer Din Ratri by Satyajit Ray, paying tribute to restored classics that have shaped global cinema. Dr. Sumitra Peries, affectionately known as the Poetess of Sinhala Cinema, now joins the pantheon of world filmmakers celebrated at Cannes.