Commonwealth Film Festival in Colombo

The Commonwealth Film Festival will begin on Tuesday with the screening of Sri Lanka's Sameege Kathawa, which won the Best Actor Award at the New York City International Film Festival 2013. Films from 17 Commonwealth countries will be screened at the National Film Corporation Theatre in Colombo.

Movie-goers can watch these films free during the twice daily screenings from November 6 to 12. The film festival is being held to coincide with the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2013.

Addressing the media, Chairperson of the Sub-Committee on Social Programs for CHOGM Indrani Sugathadasa outlined the objectives behind the film festival.

"We decided on a film festival because cinema is a very powerful medium of communication," Sugathadasa said. "It is one that can directly reach into the hearts and minds of the people.

"It is one that can unite the various geographical entities where people practise different religions and speak different languages. Cinema can be identified as a medium that unifies the different cultures of the more than 50 countries that make up the Commonwealth."

Veteran Sri Lankan actress and Monitoring MP of the Ministry of Mass Media and Information Malini Fonseka said that this was the largest film festival to be held in Sri Lanka and that it was an encouraging sign as the Sri Lankan film industry marks its 67th anniversary.

Among the films being screened during the festival are several international award winners such as Ghetu Putro Komola from Bangladesh, New Zealand's Whale Rider and India's entry, Satyajit Ray's Snoar Kella.