Prasanna Jayakody

Prasanna Jayakody is a 53 year old Sri Lankan born film director and screenwriter. He has written and directed critically acclaimed, award winning films. In his creative work he is deeply influenced by the philosophies of the east and both his maiden work "Sankara" (Introspection) and his subsequent films "Karma" and "28" reflect this source of inspiration. He is known for using the medium of film to highlight his deep sensitivity to South Asian cultural sensitivities and highlights his keen insight into the nuances of life situations through exacting, subtly spiced cinematographic creations. Born in 1968 in Horana into a family of creative artists and writers, Prasanna entered the consciousness of the art-loving public with his stage drama with the critically acclaimed "Seveneli Saha Minissu" (Shadows and Men) in year 1993, a stage drama thematically woven around a thoughtful discussion on the realities of life. The play immediately catapulted Jayakody into the limelight and distinguished Jayakody as being one of the most promising dramatists. The effort was adjudged Best Stage Drama, 1993 at the State Drama Festival in Sri Lanka. He subsequently became a household name in Sri Lanka through tele-dramas that won him an unprecedented number of national awards including several "Best Director" awards. Prasanna won the Silver Pyramid for directing "Sankara" at the Cairo International Film Festival 2007. The film also secured awards for the Best Debut Director and the Netpeck Award (Best Asian Film) at the Kerala International Film Festival, 2007, and Jury special prize at the Turkey Silk Road film Festival. His second film Karma can be described as a 'cathartic release of emotions'. It was nominated for several international awards. His third film "28" was a subtle and acclaimed piece of cinematography and was named the Best Asian Film at the Amsterdam Film Awards in 2014. While his creative output has firmly placed Prasanna as one of the most creative and unusual film directors in Sri Lanka, his current cinematic exploration amounts to the artist letting a gaze informed by such things move around the social, psychological and philosophical terrain around him.