Lester James Peries
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Lester James Peries (born in 1919) is a legendary Sinhala film director, who has received widespread aclaim.
Born to Catholic parents with an affluent westernised background, Lester had his schooling at St Peter's College, Colombo. He had one sister and two brothers, Erica, Ivan and Noel. English was the only language spoken at home and all the rituals were Western such as Christmas and New Year. In 1930 he received an 8 mm Kodasco projector, which ran Chaplin's silent movies. At that time Sri Lanka did not have its own film industry and Lester didn't know that he would one day be a famous film maker. At the age of 17 he left school abruptly for two reasons: to pursue a career as a journalist and to flee one of the school priests who was convinced that he should take up the cloth. The first outlet for his writing was his contribution to the Blue Pages of the Daily News, which was a supplement on the arts. In 1939 Lester began writing for the Times of Ceylon. He also obtained a job as a broadcaster at Radio Ceylon reviewing books on a weekly show called "Radio Bookshelf". During this time, Lester was involved in a theatre group known as the "Drama Circle" that regularly put on European plays. Today Lester lives happily with his wife Sumithra, she too a professional film maker.
[edit] Filmography
- Amma Warune (2007)
- Wekande Walauwa (Mansion by the Lake, 2002)
- Awaragira (The Sunset, 1995)
- Yuganthayo (The Changing Village Part 3, 1983)
- Kaliyugaya (The Time of Kali - The Changing Village Part 2, 1982)
- Baddegama (Village in the jungle, 1980)
- Veera Puran Appu (Rebellion, 1979)
- Pinhami (1979)
- Ahasin Polawata (White Flowers for the Dead, 1978)
- Madol Duwa (Enchanted Island, 1976)
- The God King (1975)
- Desa Nisa (The Eyes, 1972)
- Kandy Perahera (1971)
- A Dream of Kings
- Forty Leagues From Paradise (1970)
- Nidhanaya (The Treasure, 1970)
- Steel (1969)
- Akkara Paha (Five Acres of Land, 1969)
- Golu Hadawatha (Silence of the Heart, 1968)
- Ran Salu (The Yellow Robe, 1967)
- Delovak Athara (Between Two Worlds, 1966)
- Forward Into the Future (1964)
- Gamperaliya (The Changing Village Part 1, 1964)
- Home From the Sea (1962)
- Too Many Too Soon (1961)
- Sandesaya (The Message, 1960)
- Rekava (Line of Destiny, 1956)
- Be Safe Or Be Sorry (1955)
- Conquest in the Dry Zone (1954)
- Soliloquy (1951)
- A Sinhalese Dance (1950)
- Farewell To Childhood (1950)
[edit] Awards
- Recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 31st International Film Festival of India (2000)
- Diploma of Honour Venice Film Festival for the film "Conquest In the Dry Zone" (1954)
- The Mini Cinema Cup for the short film "Soliloquy" for displaying the best technical proficiency by the Institute of Amateur and Experimental Film Makers Festival -Great Britain (1951)
- Amateur Cine World Silver Plaque for the experimental film "Farewell to Childhood" - ten best films of the year - Great Britain (1950)
