Sunday, 27 December 2009

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Sarasaviya Awards on its 32nd successive run: Local Oscars back again by Ruwini JAYAWARDANA Hollywood is synonymous for the Oscars and Bollywood for Filmfare. In Sri Lanka the benchmark for award ceremonies is the Sarasaviya Awards Festival which celebrates exceptional talent and creativity of all those who are connected with the local film industry. A scene from 'Nildiya Yahana' The first Sarasaviya Awards Festival was held at Asoka Cimema, Grandpass, in 1964. Later the authorities decided to make it an annual event as it drew masses with its glamour and inspiration. Soon other awards ceremonies mushroomed and began following the trend, hoping to attract fans but they could never quite compete with the Sarasaviya Awards for it has its own set of loyal movie enthusiasts. This year's Sarasaviya Awards Festival unfolds for its 32nd successive year. Many were deprived of the chance to witness the colourful event last year but now fans can heave a sigh of content as the night of glam and glitter will take place at the BMICH on January 2,2010 at 6 p.m. The event is organized by the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited's (ANCL) popular cinema weekly, the 'Sarasaviya' magazine. Fifteen remarkable movies which have been screened in 2007 and 19 films from 2008 have been nominated to compete for this year's festival along with some enchanting dance items choreographed by reputed Sri Lankan dancer Channa Wijewardena. Awards for the best up coming actor and actress, best supporting actor and actress, best singer, best script writer, best director, best cameraman etc. will be presented along with a number of other awards. The most popular actor and actress awards for 2008 will not be chosen but the most popular film of the year will be felicitated at the ceremony. Two 'Ranathisara' awards along with Rs. 100 000 each will be handed over to two artists who have been a pride to the industry and the 'Ranapala Bodhinagoda' Commemorative Award for the renowned writer in the local scene coupled with 5000 are also part of the features in store for this year's festival. "We hope to add a novel touch to this year's ceremony. The theme will be 'Victory' and we will engage novice actors who have shown a lot of promise in cinema along with the experienced campaigners," Sarasaviya Editor Gamini Samarasinghe who spearheads the event opined . The stage settings are by Ravindra Guruge on behalf of T.V.T. The event is sponsored by Sri Lanka Telecom. The movies competing for 2007 are: 'Sankara' - Prasanna Jayakody 'Dhana Rina' - Roy de Silva 'Ran Kevita' - Udayakantha Warnasuriya 'Sankranthi' - Anuruddha Jayasinghe 'Tharuka Mal' - Milton Jayawardena 'Aaganthukaya' - Wasantha Obeysekara 'Uppalavanna' - Prof. Sunil Ariyaratne 'Nisala Gira' - Thanuj Anavaratne 'First Love Pooja' - Kusum Chandra Gamage 'Vada Bari Tarzan' - Sunil Soma Peries 'Sikuru Hathe' - Giriraj Kaushalya 'No Problem Darling' - Kusum Chandra Gamage 'Hi Master' - Ranjith Siriwardena 'Aasai Mang Piyabanna' - Udayakantha Warnasuriya 'Yahaluwo' - Sumithra Peries The movies which have been selected to compete for the awards in 2008 are: 'Heart FM' - Senesh Dissanayake Bandara 'Vada Bari Tarzan Mathi Sabayata' - Sunil Soma Peries 'Aadara Meena' - Keerthi Bandara 'Hathara Dennama Soorayo' - Neel Rupasinghe 'Sandalu Tahlayen Eha' - H.M. Gamini Pushpakumara 'Super Star' - A.A. Junaideen 'Sura Sapa Soya' - Luvi Vandarstarten 'Rosa Kele' - Sanjaya Nirmal 'Rosa Diganthe' - Suresh Kumarasinghe 'Nildiya Yahana' - Dayaratne Ratagedara 'Aadarae Namayen' - R. Sooryan and S. Nadange 'Machan' - Uberto Pasolini 'Pitasakvala Kumarayai Pancho Hathai' - Sirimal Wijesinghe 'Ali Pancha Mage Mithura' - Jude M. Mutthaiya 'Prabhakaran' - Thushara Peries 'Valapatala' - Vijitha Gunaratne 'Siri Raja Siri' - Somaratne Dissanayake 'Ai Obe Thani Vela' - Ranjith Jayasinghe 'Aba' - Jackson Anthony

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