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South Asian cinema
Cinema of Afghanistan Cinema of Bangladesh Bengali cinema Cinema of India Assamese cinema Bengali cinema Bollywood Karnataka cinema Kollywood Malayalam cinema Tollywood Cinema of Nepal Cinema of Pakistan Cinema of Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan cinema is highly acclaimed abroad - its films have won dozens of awards at international festivals.

Film makers tackle gritty subjects, including family relationships, abortion and the years of conflict between the military and Tamil Tiger rebels in the north.

Many films are based on Sinhalese literature. Its style is similar to neighbouring South Indian cinema, and often features the beautiful scenery of Sri Lanka. The first film to be produced and shown in Sri Lanka was Kadawunu Poronduwa (The Broken Promise) which was released in 1947. The first colour film of Sri Lanka was Ran Muthu Doova. Hundreds of movies were made in Sri Lanka afterwards. However the most influential filmmaker in the history of Sri Lankan cinema is Lester James Peiris who has directed many movies of prodigious quality which led to global acclaim. His latest film, 'Wekanda Walawwa' (Mansion by the Lake) became the first movie to be submitted from Sri Lanka for the Best Foreign Language film award at the Academy Awards. 'Nidhanaya' directed by Lester James Peiris is however considered as the best movie ever made in Sri Lanka.

Recent releases like 'Sooriya Arana', 'Samanala thatu', 'Hiripoda wessa' have attracted Sri Lankans to cinemas.

Sri Lankan films are usually of Sinhalese language. Tamil language movies are also filmed in Sri Lanka but they are not part of Kollywood which is Indian Tamil cinema. However some Kollywood films are based in Sri Lanka as well.

• Aadara Hasuna (1986)
• Abhayadakshinawa (1992) (TV)
• Abudasse kale (1968)
• Adarawanthayo (1968)
• Agnidahaya (2002)
• Ahasin Polawatha (1977)
• Akka Nago (1968)
• Akkaa Paha (1972)
• Amathaka vunada? (1967)
• Amathikama (1968)
• Anantha Rathriya (1996)
• Apeksha (1979)
• Arunata pera (1981)
• Aswesuma (2001)
• Ataweni Pudumaya (1968)
• Awaragira (1990)

• World cinema
• Asian cinema
• South Asian cinema

• National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka - Official Website
• Sri Lankan film at the Internet Movie Database