{{Short description|Sri Lankan film director and diplomat (1934–2023)}} {{Refimprove|date=February 2020}} {{EngvarB|date=January 2023}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}} {{Infobox person <!-- Commented out because image was deleted: | image = Sumitra 1.jpg --> | name = Sumitra Peries | native_name = සුමිත්‍රා පීරිස් | imagesize = | birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1935|03|24}} | birth_place = Avissawella, British Ceylon | death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2023|01|19|1935|03|24}} | death_place = Colombo, Sri Lanka | spouse = Lester James Peries (1964–2018) | occupation = Filmmaker }}

'''Sumitra Peries''' (March 24, 1935–January 19, 2023) was a Sri Lankan filmmaker. She was the first female film director from Sri Lanka.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Doraiswamy |first1=Rashmi |last2=Padgaonkar |first2=Latika |title=Asian Film Journeys: Selections from Cinemaya |date=2 February 2011 |publisher=SCB Distributors |location=New Delhi |isbn=978-81-8328-208-6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lZZ-mxaqP6IC |access-date=19 January 2023 |language=en}}</ref> and was known as the "Poetess of Sinhala Cinema".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/061217/TV/006_17_12_2006.html |title=Sumithra in the making of another cinematic gem |publisher=Sunday Times |access-date=8 December 2019}}</ref> She also held the post of Sri Lanka's ambassador to France, Spain and the United Nations in the late 1990s. Of her films the more popular ones are ''Gehenu Lamai'', ''Ganga Addara'' and ''Yahaluvo''. She was married to the most prolific Sri Lankan film director Dr. Lester James Peries.<ref name="sumitra3">{{cite news|url=http://www.hollywood.com/celebrity/Sumitra_Peries/1473029|title=Profile:(Hollywood.com)|publisher=Hollywood.com|date=12 January 2008|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130125121013/http://www.hollywood.com/celebrity/1473029/Sumitra_Peries|archive-date=25 January 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="sumitra4">{{cite news| url=https://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2002/09/22/fea13.html| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021001143841/http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2002/09/22/fea13.html| url-status=live| archive-date=1 October 2002|title=Sumitra Peries a female idol |publisher=Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka)|date=22 September 2002}}</ref>

==Early life== ===Education=== Peries began her education in Avissawella, then later enrolled to Visakha Vidyalaya in Colombo, and finally joined the Aquinas College Colombo to do the London Advanced Level.{{cn|date=November 2019}} At the age of 20 Sumitra managed to find some money and traveled to Europe by ship to meet her elder brother Gamini. She was going to build her own career there, although she didn't know it at the time.<ref name="sumitra6">{{cite news| url=http://www.dailynews.lk/2002/10/19/fea09.html| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030824092432/http://www.dailynews.lk/2002/10/19/fea09.html| url-status=dead| archive-date=24 August 2003|title=A celebration between two celebrities |publisher=Daily News (Sri Lanka)|date=19 October 2002}}</ref>

Peries studied filmmaking at the London School of Film Technique and was awarded a Diploma in Film Direction and Production (1957–1959).<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/news/sumitra-peries-obituary-poetess-sri-lankan-cinema| title=Sumitra Peries obituary: 'the poetess of Sri Lankan cinema' |publisher=BFI |date=20 January 2023}}</ref>

==Filmography== Peries won the award for the best film director in fifty years of Sri Lankan cinema.<ref name="sumitra5">{{cite news |date=19 October 1997 |title=Keeping in touch with the French |url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/971019/plus4.html |publisher=Sunday Times (Sri Lanka) |issn=1391-0531}}</ref> {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year !! Film !! Ref. |- | 1978 || ''Gehenu Lamai'' ||<ref name="sundaytimes_006_17_12_2006">{{Cite news |last=Susitha |first=Fernando |date=17 December 2006 |title= Sumithra in the making of another cinematic gem |work=The Sunday Times |url= https://www.sundaytimes.lk/061217/TV/006_17_12_2006.html|access-date=22 November 2023}}</ref> |- | 1980 || ''Ganga Addara'' || |- | 1982 || ''Yahalu Yeheli'' ||<ref name="sundaytimes_006_17_12_2006"/> |- | 1984 || ''Maya'' || |- | 1988 || ''Sagara Jalaya Madi Handuwa Oba Handa'' || |- | 1996 || ''Loku Duwa'' || |- | 1997 || ''Duwata Mawaka Misa'' || |- | 2003 || ''Sakman Maluwa'' ||<ref name="sundaytimes_006_17_12_2006"/> |- | 2018 || ''Vaishnavee'' || |}

==Personal life and death== Sumitra married Lester James Peries (1919–2018) on June 19, 1964, at All Saints Church, Borella, and a reception was held at the residence of Anton Wickremasinghe afterwards.

Peries died on January 19, 2023, at the age of 87.<ref>[https://www.adaderana.lk/news/87716/veteran-sri-lankan-filmmaker-sumitra-peries-passes-away Veteran Sri Lankan filmmaker Sumitra Peries passes away]</ref>

==Honours == *The title of Kala Keerthi by the Government of Sri Lanka in 2005 *The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays by the Government of Japan in 2021 <ref>{{cite web |title=The Ceremony of Conferment of 'The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays" on Kala Keerthi Mrs. Sumitra Peries |url=https://www.lk.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/11_000001_00007.html |website=.lk.emb-japan.go.jp |access-date=19 March 2021}}</ref> *Awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Kelaniya for her outstanding contribution to local cinema.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sarasaviya.lk/news/2021/12/30/22117/කැලණිය-සරසවියෙන්-සුමිත්%E2%80%8Dරා-පීරිස්ට-ආචාර්ය-උපාධියක් |title=Sumithra Peiris with a PhD from the University of Kelaniya |publisher=Sarasaviya|accessdate=30 December 2021}}</ref>

==Awards== *Rana Thisara Lifetime Achievement Award (1993)<ref name="sumitra1">{{cite news|url=http://www.lesternsumitra.com/sumithra/sumitraacive.htm|title=Achievements|publisher=(lesternsumitra.com)|date=12 January 2008|access-date=12 February 2008|archive-date=11 March 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080311055401/http://www.lesternsumitra.com/sumithra/sumitraacive.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==The Lester James Peries and Sumitra Peries Foundation== The Lester James Peries and Sumitra Peries Foundation was inaugurated in 2011, at the BMICH with an oration by the chief guest, celebrated Indian film-maker Padma Vibushan Dr. Adoor Gopalakrishnan, and the Speaker of Parliament, Chamal Rajapakse, as the Guest of Honor. The Foundation is incorporated through an act of Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.<ref>{{cite news |title=Lester-Sumitra Foundation celebrates first anniversary |url=https://www.sundaytimes.lk/120520/Magazine/sundaytimestvtimes_9.html |access-date=31 March 2024 |work=www.sundaytimes.lk |date=20 May 2012}}</ref>

== See also == * Sri Lankan Non Career Diplomats

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[https://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2008/06/01/spe08.asp Female genius behind the camera] *[http://www.lesternsumitra.com/sumithra/sumitra.htm Official Website of Lester James Peries in association with Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Sri Lanka]

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Peries, Sumitra}} Category:1935 births Category:2023 deaths Category:Sri Lankan film directors Category:Sri Lankan women film directors Category:Ambassadors of Sri Lanka to France Category:Ambassadors of Sri Lanka to Spain Category:Alumni of Visakha Vidyalaya Category:Sinhalese people Category:Women ambassadors of Sri Lanka Category:Kala Keerthi Category:Recipients of the Order of the Rising Sun, 5th class Category:People from Colombo District Category:Alumni of the London Film School Category:Permanent delegates of Sri Lanka to UNESCO