Dr. Lester James Peris passes away

Dr. Lester James Peris passes away

We announce with great sadness the demise of the most celebrated cinematographer of Sri Lankan cinema, this evening the 29th.

A few weeks ago his his 99th birthday was commemorated on April 5th and many a person inclusive of the President and the Prime Minister greeted him after meeting him on that occasion. He is acclaimed as the most senior film-maker who

provided his contribution to lift up the local cinema to international recognition. He was a film-director, screen-writer and a film-producer ... all in one. He has produced over 28 films since 1949. He gained great honour honour for his cinematic creations such as Rekhava, Gamperaliya, Nidhanaya, Golu hadawatha, Kaliyugaya, Avaragira and Yuganthaya. Experiences gained about rural life of Sri Lankan family life coloured his films and were based on such experiences.

Mr. Lester James Peris was born in Dehiwala on April 5, 1919. His father happens to be a doctor who had his education in Scotland. He had several brothers by the names of Erika, Ivan and Noel. The Peris family was brought up in a Roman Catholic atmosphere. Even from the time he was brought up he used to speak only in the English language. Lester has never participated in a school drama. Neither had he any interest to become a reputed film director. In the same way there had been no national film industry in the then Ceylon.

After entering St. Peter's College and having had his education there he took up journalism as his career at the age of 17 years. As his profession he has served the Daily News and Times of Ceylon. He also had a brief span at Radio Ceylon. His knowledge about film production began to widen when he joined the drama circle. He then left to England in 1947 and there he followed a course in Arts after which he once again returned to Ceylon in 1952 and 3 years later he had thought of engage in producing a documentary film in unison with Willie Blake and Titus Thotawatta of the government film unit. Thus the film 'Rekhava' which was screened in 1956 which incidentally made a phenomenal impact on the Sinhala screen and the film was based on a rural foundation. The local cinema which upto then was dominated by Indian copies and Indian studios took a different turn altogether.

Because of this revolutionary difference the Sri Lankan cinema began to develop into a unique identity. Subsequently he started on a number of classical films such as Gamperaliya, Delovak athara, Golu hadawatha, Nidhanaya and Yuganthaya which held sway. In this manner he was accredited with several awards and in the process etched the name of Sri Lanka in gold letters. The series of photographs which Gossip Lanka published in the instance of his last birthday celebrations, from below