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Lester James Peries is a Actor, Director, Writer, Producer and Editor born on 5 april 1919 at Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia (Sri Lanka)

Lester James Peries

Lester James Peries
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Birth 5 april 1919 at Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia (Sri Lanka)
Death 29 april 2018 (at 99 years)

Sri Lankabhimanya Lester James Peries (Sinhala: ශ්‍රී ලංකාභිමාන්‍ය ලෙස්ටර් ජේම්ස් පීරිස්) (born April 5, 1919) is an internationally acclaimed Sri Lankan film director, screenwriter, and film producer. An active filmmaker since 1949, Peries has been involved in over 28 films, including shorts and documentaries. He has received critical acclaim for directing Rekava, Gamperaliya, Nidhanaya, Golu Hadawatha, Kaliyugaya, Awaragira and Yuganthaya.
Movie Wekande Walauwa starring Ravindra Randeniya and Malini Fonseka was the Sri Lankas first ever submission for the Academy Awards and film also had screenings at many International level film festivals.

Peries's films often deal with Sri Lankan family life in rural settings and conflicted characters.

Biography

Lester James Peries est la figure majeure (et presque la seule) du cinéma srilankais au XX siècle.

Il a notamment porté à l'écran plusieurs œuvres de son compatriote, le romancier Martin Wickramasinghe.
Source : Wikidata

Filmography of Lester James Peries (19 films)

Display filmography as list

Actor

Celluloid Man, 2h30
Directed by Shivendra Singh Dungarpur
Genres Biography, Documentary
Themes Documentary films about business, Documentary films about the film industry
Actors Krzysztof Zanussi, Lester James Peries, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Saeed Akhtar Mirza, Gulzar, Naseeruddin Shah
Roles Self
Rating75% 3.7916753.7916753.7916753.7916753.791675
P. K. Nair’s fascination with cinema began as a child and he watched his first few films lying on the white sand floor of a cinema in Trivandrum. He was a collector even then - collecting ticket stubs, lobby cards, even weighing machine tickets sporting pictures of the stars of the day. He grew up to be a great collector of films.

Director

Kaliyugaya
Kaliyugaya (1982)
, 1h25
Directed by Lester James Peries
Origin Sri Lanka
Genres Drama
Actors Henry Jayasena
Rating71% 3.577763.577763.577763.577763.57776
Piyal (Henry Jayasena) and Nanda (Punya Heendeniya) from Gamperaliya have now aged, and their children have left them. Priya reminisces on her life after her son sends her a letter from London accusing her and her husband of various faults.
Yuganthaya
Yuganthaya (1982)
, 2h10
Directed by Lester James Peries
Actors Gamini Fonseka
Rating65% 3.2763653.2763653.2763653.2763653.276365
Simon Kabilana (Gamini Fonseka) is a powerful ruthless capitalist who uses terror to keep his workers under control and yield high production quotas. His son Malin (Richard De Zoysa) is the complete opposite, coming back from England idolizing Marx and Lenin, causing them to clash. Malin eventually gives up his fortunes in his father's company and works toward a confrontation with his father.
Village in the Jungle
Directed by Lester James Peries
Origin Sri Lanka
Genres Drama
Actors Joe Abeywickrama, Vijaya Kumaranatunga, Tony Ranasinghe, Henry Jayasena
Rating70% 3.5361053.5361053.5361053.5361053.536105
The lives of a poor family in a small village called Beddagama (literally, "The village in the jungle") as they struggle to survive the challenges presented by poverty, disease, superstition, the unsympathetic colonial system, and the jungle itself. The head of the family is a hunter named Silindu, who has two daughters named Punchi Menika and Hinnihami. After being manipulated by the village authorities and a debt collector, Silindu is put on trial for murder
White Flowers for the Dead, 1h30
Directed by Lester James Peries
Actors Tony Ranasinghe, Vasanthi Chathurani
Rating71% 3.583313.583313.583313.583313.58331
Sarath (Tony Ranasinghe) domineers over his timid wife Vineetha (Sriyani Amarasena). When she is to have a Caesarean delivery of their baby, Sarth refuses to be present even though he himself is a doctor. She dies during surgery and Sarath is forced to live with the spectre of his wife hanging over him.
Mangrove Island, 1h32
Directed by Lester James Peries
Origin Sri Lanka
Actors Joe Abeywickrama
Rating80% 4.0423354.0423354.0423354.0423354.042335
Young Upali Giniwella (Ajith Jinadasa) is resentful of his new stepmother (Somalatha Subasinghe) and lashes out by committing harmless acts of mischief around the village. For this Upali is sent to a boarding school where he bonds with the headmaster (Joe Abeywickrema). He once again gets into trouble however and is returned home when a new headmaster installed.
The God King, 1h39
Directed by Lester James Peries
Origin Sri Lanka
Genres Drama, Historical
Actors Leigh Lawson, Oliver Tobias, Ravindra Randeniya
Rating71% 3.5927753.5927753.5927753.5927753.592775
King Kasyapa (Leigh Lawson) is the son of King Dhatusena (Geoffrey Russell). Kasyapa murdered his father by walling him alive and then usurping the throne which rightfully belonged to his brother Mogallana (Ravindra Randeniya), Dhatusena's son by the true queen. Mogallana fled to India to escape being assassinated by Kasyapa but vowed revenge. In India he raised an army with the intention of returning and retaking the throne of Sri Lanka which was rightfully his. Knowing the inevitable return of Mogallana, Kasyapa is said to have built his palace on the summit of Sigiriya as a fortress and pleasure palace.
The Treasure
Directed by Lester James Peries
Origin Sri Lanka
Genres Drama, Thriller
Actors Gamini Fonseka, Wijeratne Warakagoda
Rating76% 3.8335753.8335753.8335753.8335753.833575
A man known as Willy Abenayake (Gamini Fonseka) who belongs to a wealthy family in a village in Sri Lanka, is interested in superstitious things. One day he finds an old Ola Leaf manuscript, which states the where-abouts of a treasure in a rock cave that belongs to an ancient king. However, according to the manuscript, he has to sacrifice the life of a virgin woman who has four black birth marks in her neck, in order to gain access to the treasure.
Desa Nisa
Desa Nisa (1972)
, 1h37
Directed by Lester James Peries
Origin Sri Lanka
Actors Joe Abeywickrama, Ravindra Randeniya
Rating26% 1.3188151.3188151.3188151.3188151.318815
Nirudaka (Joe Abeywickrema) is an ugly man who is only loved by his mother (Denawaka Hamine) and taunted by others. He falls in love with blind Sundari (Sriyani Amarasena) and they get married.
Akkara Paha, 2h8
Directed by Lester James Peries
Origin Sri Lanka

Sena (Milton Jayawardena) of weak character is sent to a boarding school at a well-to-do city university by his family who mortgage everything they own to pay for his education. Their future well-being is thus in the hands of Sena. Sena however succumbs to the temptations of city life and fails in his venture.
Silence of the Heart
Directed by Lester James Peries
Origin Sri Lanka
Rating80% 4.0333254.0333254.0333254.0333254.033325
Damayanthi Kariyawasam (Dhammi) (Anula Karunathilake) is a mischievous school girl. Sugath Weerasekara (Wickrema Bogoda) is a shy and introverted boy who is new to Dhammi's school. He is quiet and gifted at schoolwork. Dhammi is immediately attracted to him and they become friends. The friendship eventually develops into a special relationship.
Ran Salu
Ran Salu (1967)
, 1h46
Directed by Lester James Peries
Origin Sri Lanka
Actors Tony Ranasinghe

Cyril (Tony Ranasinghe) is dissatisfied with his introverted fiancee Sujatha (Punya Heendeniya). He starts a relationship with the more out-going Sarojini (Anula Karunatilleke) and gets her pregnant. Sujatha meanwhile is fascinated by a wandering Buddhist monk.
Between Two Worlds, 1h43
Directed by Lester James Peries
Origin Sri Lanka
Genres Drama
Actors Tony Ranasinghe, Iranganie Roxanna Serasinghe
Rating63% 3.187823.187823.187823.187823.18782
At the onset of the film, Nissanka (Tony Ranasinghe) is engaged to marry Shiranee (Jeevarani Kurukulasuriya), a woman of the same social class.