Entertainment

Norwegian author named winner of Nobel Prize in Literature

Published

2 months ago

October 5, 2023

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Norwegian author, playwright and poet Jon Fosse has been named the winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature.

The Swedish Academy said on Thursday it was for his “innovative plays and prose which gives voice to the unsayable”.

As well as the prize, Fosse receives 11 million Swedish kronor (£822,000).

He admitted he was “overwhelmed and somewhat frightened” by the news. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre posted: “All of Norway congratulates and is proud today!”

He wrote that the prize was “a great recognition of a unique authorship that makes an impression and touches people all over the world”.

The celebrated 64-year-old’s major works include the Septology series of novels, Aliss at the Fire, Melancholy and A Shining.

Speaking to Norwegian state broadcaster NRK, Fosse said he had “prepared myself mentally for the last decade” that this day might come.

Previous winners of the prize – given for a body of work, rather than a single book – have included Toni Morrison, Doris Lessing, Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Bob Dylan.

Born in 1959, in Haugesund on the west coast of Norway, Fosse grew up in Strandebarm. At the age of seven he nearly died in an accident, which he has said was “the most important experience” of his childhood and one that “created” him as an artist.

(BBC News)

Entertainment

Veteran actor Suminda Sirisena passes away

Published

13 hours ago

December 4, 2023

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Veteran actor Suminda Sirisena has passed away at the age of 75.

According to family members, he breathed his last this morning while receiving treatment at a private hospital in Gampaha.

Entertainment

Veteran actress Leena De Silva passes away

Published

3 days ago

December 1, 2023

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Veteran actress Leena De Silva has passed away at the age of 87, family sources said.

She was living in Canada at the time of her death.

She made her film debut in 1954 with the film Ahankara Sthriya, followed by the film Surathali released in 1956, as well as many films including Sohoyuro, Sundara Birinda, Sunita and Nalagana.

A mother of two children, she was the beloved wife of late veteran actor Ravindra Rupasena.

Entertainment

Russian Lit. Fest held in Colombo (Pics)

Published

2 weeks ago

November 23, 2023

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The Russian House in Colombo hosted the much anticipated annual Literature festival yesterday (Nov. 22), amid the excitement of Literary enthusiasts in the island.

Russian Literary greats Rasul Gamzatov, Leo Tolstoy and Ivan Turgenev were commemorated at the event.

A unique photo exhibition out front showcased the estates where the literary greats had lived and created their iconic pieces – Tolstoy’s Yasnaya Polyana and Turgenev’s Spasskoye-Lutovinovo. Photo archives were provided by the Director of the Russian House in Colombo, Madam Maria Popova, and the writer for the Russky Mir magazine, Irina Ivina.

Max Dimov, Deputy Chief Editor of “Moscow Media”, addressed the gathering with a video message.

During his visit to the Russian House in July, he had made friends among the founders of the Russian Literary Club, famous philologists, writers and translators Ranjana Senasinghe and Felix Fernando.

For the first time ever, the festival program also showcased the works of contemporary Russian authors in Sinhala.

Felix Fernando presented his translation of an international bestseller book by Evgeny Vodolazkin, ‘the most important living Russian writer’ according to the New Yorker. His novel “Laurus” was dubbed as ‘a new statesman book of the year 2016’. On top of that, Fernando also translated a touching New Year short story “I Won’t Tell!” by an extremely popular Russian author, producer, screenwriter and philanthropist Alexander Tsypkin.

Both authors addressed the audience with a video greeting, deeply touched by the interest in their works and happily responded to the invitation to visit Sri Lanka and personally meet the translator.

(Pics : FB of Russian House in Colombo)