The 19th

Presidential Film Awards Presidential Film Awards is a film award ceremony held in Sri Lanka. It is organized by the National Film Corporation along with the Presidential Secretariat and the Ministry of Cultural Affairs. It was 1st awards in 1979 by President J. R. Jayew ...

festival (Sinhala: 19 වැනි ජනාධිපති සම්මාන උලෙළ), presented by the Sri Lanka Film Corporation with the collaboration of the Presidential Secretariat and the Ministry of Parliamentary Reforms and Mass Media, was held on July 29, 1996, at the

Nelum Pokuna Mahinda Rajapaksa Theatre The Nelum Pokuna Theatre (, ''nelum pokuna rangahala''; often known as Nelum Pokuna; previously the National Performing Arts Theatre, prior to naming at the opening ceremony after which the President Mahinda Rajapaksa named it after himself) is a ...

, Colombo 07, Sri Lanka. His Excellency The President

Maithripala Sirisena Maithripala Yapa Sirisena (; ; born 3 September 1951) is a Sri Lankan politician who served as the seventh president of Sri Lanka from 9 January 2015 to 18 November 2019. Sirisena is Sri Lanka's first president from the North Central Province, S ...

was the chief guest at the awards night. Around 96 Awards were presented to 27 artists who excelled in 79 films in

Sinhala cinema Sri Lankan cinema encompasses the Sri Lankan film industry. It is a fledgling industry that has struggled to find a footing since its inauguration in 1947 with '' Kadawunu Poronduwa'' produced by S. M. Nayagam of Chitra Kala Movietone. Sri Lan ...

screened from 2016 to 2018 (Twenty five films screened in 2016, twenty six films screened in 2017 and twenty eight films in 2018). Meanwhile, 11 recipients won the Pioneer Awards, Swarnasinghe Awards and Vishwa Keerthi Awards. The Swarnasinghe Lifetime Award was presented by President to veteran artists

Ravindra Randeniya Liyanage Boniface Walter Perera (born 5 June 1945), popularly known by his stage name Ravindra Randeniya, is a Sri Lankan actor and former politician. He rose to fame in Lester James Peries's film ''Desa Nisa'' in 1975, and was a popular actor d ...

Nita Fernando Kala Suri Nita Fernando (born September 5, 1947, නීටා ප්‍රනාන්දු) in Negombo, Sri Lanka, is an actress in the Sri Lankan cinema. She has starred in films like '' Duhulu Malak'' and ''Pavuru Walalu''. Biography Earl ...

and

Sugathapala Senarath Yapa Kala Suri Sugathapala Senarath Yapa ( සුගතපාල සෙනරත් යාපා) inhala 10 November 1935 – 25 August 2024) was a Sri Lankan film director, screenwriter, producer and lyricist. His career in Sri Lankan cinema span ...

. Meanwhile, Anoma Janadari and film director

Sanjeewa Pushpakumara Sanjeewa Pushpakumara (born 5 May 1977) is a Sri Lankan film director, screenwriter and producer. Career Pushpakumara completed a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura in 2005. He pursued a diploma in filmmaking at ...

received the Vishwa Keerthi Award from the President for their acting talent. Purogami Awards were won by Shanthi Abeysekera, Anton Gregory, K.D. Dayananda, Swarna Kahawita,

Sunil Soma Peiris Pattiyage Sunil Soma Peiris (Pattiyage Sunil Soma Peiris, 13 April 1948 – 10 December 2021) () was a Sri Lankan screenwriter, actor, editor and filmmaker in Sri Lankan cinema. He was a prolific director who directed the most films in Sri Lanka ...

and

Alexander Fernando Joseph Manuel Alexander Fernando (; 25 August 194029 April 2020) was a Sri Lankan actor and stunt director in Sinhala cinema. Considered one of the best villains in Sinhala cinema, Fernando acted in over 120 Sinhala films, six Tamil films, and o ...

2016 Awards

2017 Awards

2018 Awards

References