'MISS' – REPRESENTATION OF FEMALE FILMMAKERS IN LANKAN CINEMA

Only six women directors in 65 year film history

Some1500 films directed by various shades of filmmakers have been screened in the 65 year history of the Sinhala cinema, but statistics reveal that there is indeed a dearth of movie-making women in Sri Lankan cinema.

As we marked International Women’s Day a few days ago, it has been revealed that in the entire 65 year film history in Sri Lanka, the Sinhala cinema has produced only six women directors at an average of less than one in a decade.

The under-representation of women in filmmaking appears to be a global trend too, with figures in the world cinema also dwindling in the past few years. This comes amidst 39 internationally organized film festivals solely dedicated to showing the work of women directors throughout the world.

The percentage of women in all behind-thescenes roles like directors, writers, executive producers, producers, editors and cinematographers has declined in recent years.

Besides Sinhala cinema’s most prominent, internationally acclaimed filmmaker Ms. Sumitra Peries, the other five women directors are Florida Jayalath, Ruby de Mel, Malani Fonseka, Inoka Sathyangani and Maureen Charuni.

Sumitra Peiris made memorable movies like Gehenu Lamai, Ganga Addara, Yahalu Yeheli, Sagara Jalaya, Loku Duwa, Duwata Mawaka Misa, Maya, Yahaluwo and others including the newest movie which is being directed now.

She is the only Sri Lankan woman filmmaker to have won awards for film directing and editing as well.

Besides Malani and Sumitra, the other four directed one film each. But Inoka has just completed her second movie ‘Cinderella’ featuring Upeksha Swarnamali and Akalanka Ganegama.