‘Gehenu Lamai’, directed by the late Dr. Sumitra Peries, will be screened next week in the Official Selection of the Cannes Film Festival, which will be held from May 13 to May 24 in Cannes, France, under the Cannes Classics category.

Released in 1978, ‘Gehenu Lamai’ is a Sri Lankan Sinhala teenage drama film directed by Sumitra Peries and produced by her husband, Lester James Peries, for Lester Films.

The restoration of ‘Gehenu Lamai’ was undertaken by the Film Heritage Foundation in association with the Dr. Lester James Peries and Sumitra Peries Foundation. It was funded by a grant provided by the Embassy of France in Sri Lanka and the Maldives, and the Embassy of France in India, under the aegis of FISCH (France- India – Sri Lanka Cine Heritage).

Sumitra Peries, the first female filmmaker in Sri Lanka and wife of Dr. Lester James Peries, also served as Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to France in the 1990s. She was decorated as a Chevalier in the Order of Arts and Letters by the French Government.

Born in 1934, she emerged to stardom in the country with over 10 films to her credit and expertise as a screenwriter, director, producer, and editor.

In a triumph for Sri Lanka’s film heritage, Sumitra Peries’ “Gehenu Lamai” (1978) restored by Film Heritage Foundation in association with the Lester James Peries and Sumitra Peries Foundation has been selected for a world premiere at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival 2025.

The film has been restored under the aegis of FISCH: France- India – Sri Lanka Cine Heritage – Saving Film Across Borders – a pioneering international collaboration between Film Heritage Foundation, the Embassy of France and the French Institute in India and the Embassy of France in Sri Lanka and the Maldives, dedicated to restoring and preserving cinematic heritage.

The selection of “Gehenu Lamai” for the 78th Cannes Film Festival marks the fourth year in a row that Film Heritage Foundation is returning to Cannes Classic, but its first with a Sri Lankan film.

Film Heritage Foundation’s earlier restorations – Aravindan Govindan’s “Thamp”, Aribam Syam Sharma’s “Ishanou” and Shyam Benegal’s “Manthan” had red-carpet world premieres at the Cannes Film Festival in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

Recognized as the Outstanding Film of the Year at the 1978 London Film Festival, the debut film of Sumitra Peries – referred to as the Poetess of Sri Lankan Cinema – tells the heartbreaking tale of two young sisters in a Sri Lankan village whose romantic dreams and aspirations are crushed by the class barrier and the conflict between tradition and progress. The poetic black and white imagery beautifully captures the confusion and fragility of adolescent love and yearning coupled with an outstanding performance by a 16 year-old Wasanthi Chathurani as Kusum in her debut role.

(adaderana.lk)

(Except for the headline, this story, originally published by adaderana.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)

Singer Rihanna has confirmed she is expecting her third baby while attending fashion’s biggest night of the year, the Met Gala in New York.

The 37-year-old cradled her bump and smiled for the cameras while appearing on the red carpet, which was navy with daffodils.

Rihanna, whose real name is Robyn Fenty, and her partner, rapper A$AP Rocky, already have two sons.

A$AP Rocky, also known as Rakim Mayers, thanked reporters who offered their congratulations on the red carpet.

“It is time to just show the people what we were cooking up,” he said.

(BBC News)

Brazilian police said they thwarted a bomb attack planned for Lady Gaga’s concert on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday.

The Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro state, in co-ordination with the justice ministry, said suspects had recruited participants to carry out attacks using improvised explosives and the plan was aimed at gaining notoriety on social media.

The person responsible for the plan and a teenager were arrested, the police said.

Lady Gaga’s team said they learned about the bomb threat only from media reports the morning after the gig. A crowd of more than two million people gathered for the concert, which was free to attend.

Police said the group that planned the attack had been spreading hate speech, mainly against children, adolescents and the LGBTQ+ community.

The alleged mastermind was arrested for illegal possession of a firearm in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, while the teenager was detained for storing child pornography in Rio.

Those responsible were also promoting the radicalisation of teenagers, including self-harm and violent content “as a form of belonging and challenge among young people”.

A spokesperson for Lady Gaga told The Hollywood Reporter: “We learned about this alleged threat via media reports this morning.

“Prior to and during the show, there were no known safety concerns, nor any communication from the police or authorities to Lady Gaga regarding any potential risks.”

The justice ministry said the suspects had identified themselves as Lady Gaga fans, known widely as “Little Monsters”.

Police issued search warrants across the states of Rio de Janeiro, Mato Grosso, Rio Grande do Sul and Sao Paulo, and electronic devices and other materials were seized.

“Operation Fake Monster” was launched following a tip-off from Rio state police intelligence, which uncovered online groups encouraging violence among teenagers using coded language and extremist symbolism.

The concert was paid for by the city in an attempt to revitalise Rio’s economy, with expectations it could bring in $100m (£75m).

In a massive security operation, 5,000 officers were deployed and attendees had to pass through metal detectors. Drones and facial recognition cameras were also used to police the event.

Lady Gaga, who last performed in Brazil in 2012, took the stage as part of a tour to promote her eighth album, Mayhem.

The singer wore Brazil-themed costumes for some of her acts, with outfits inspired by the national football team.

“You waited for more than 10 years for me,” an emotional Lady Gaga told the huge crowd, holding out a Brazilian flag.

(BBC News)