The directorial debut of Brothers Kalpana Ariyawansa and Vindana Ariyawansa, Premaya Nam, has been nominated for Best Picture Award at the 7th Chicago South Asian Film Festival in U.S.A.
So far Premaya Nam has been chosen for 12 International Film Festivals, including, Beijing, Shanghai, Goa, Kerala, Delhi, and London. Florida and Chicago South Asian Film Festival is the 6th in which it is chosen to compete for Best Film Award. Premaya Nam faces tough competition in the Best Film category, which boasts an ensemble of critically acclaimed movies representing the South Asian subcontinent, many of which have won multiple awards at renowned international film festivals across the globe, such as Masaan the winner of FIPRESCI Prize at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival in 2015. Premaya Nam has had the rare distinction of representing Sri Lanka in prominent film festivals across three continents, which include Asia, Europe and the Americas. So far, the screenings of the movie, from Beijing in the East to Hollywood in the West, have met with equally warm reception from diverse audiences, featuring different countries and different cultures. Premaya Nam has its unique place in the Sri Lankan cinema, as the first live action feature film to be directed by two brothers in its 70 year history. Also, written by the brothers Kalpana and Vindana Ariyawansa, Premaya Nam is a heartwarming love story with a subtext on mental health and features an ensemble of cast led by Shyam Fernando, Samanalee Fonseka, Suranga Ranawaka and Dr. Sathis Wijemanne among many others who are frequent collaborators of contemporary film, TV and stage in Sri Lanka.
The Sri Lankan audience will soon have a chance to experience Premaya Nam in circuit theatres in the near future.