Award-winning international feature film ‘Dawena Vihagun’ screening from 29 June

‘Dawena Vihagun’ – Burning Birds, the award-winning international feature film, directed and written by Sanjeewa Pushpakumara will be screening at Regal, Lido, CEL and Rithma Board cinema theatres from 29 June onwards. 

The film reflects a story behind a noble mother and a daughter who sacrifice and dedicate their lives to bring up a better livelihood for their children and siblings after the killing of her husband and father by an unknown armed group.   ‘Dawena Vihagun’ – Burning Birds is the second feature film of Sanjeewa Pushpakumara. It stars Samanali Fonseka, Chandani Seneviratne, Mahendra Perera, Anoma Jinadari, Liyoni Kothalawala, Shyam Fernando, Dasun Pathirana, Pubudu Chathuranga, Dharmapriya Dias, Tissa Bandaranaike, Priyanka Samaraweera, Dharshan Dharmaraj and Sanjeewa Dissanayake. The film was cinematographed by Kalina Deshapriya and was edited by Ajith Ramanayake and Katharina Wartena. The costumes were designed by Ajantha Alahakoon, the art direction was done by Piyatissa Akuramboda and the make-up was done by Priyantha Dissanayake. The film color graded by Elie Akoka and the film sound designed by Priyantha Kaluarachchi and Nicolas D’halluin.  

In the recent past the film ‘Burning Birds’ won the highest international attention as a Sri Lankan movie and the film was premiered and won many awards in several main category international film festivals. The film won the Special Jury Prize and the second place at the 17th Tokyo FILMeX International Film Festival and it had won the Best Picture and Young Jury Prize at 15th Geneva International Film Festival (FIFDH). In addition to these awards, the film also won the best actress award in Asian World Film Festival 2017 in Los Angeles.  

Also the film had selected to the 17th place by receiving enthusiastic reviews from audience among 168 films in 46th International Film Festival which was held in Rotterdam.The film ‘Burning Birds’ was co-produced among Sri Lanka, France, Doha Qatar and the Netherlands. Burning Birds was produced by Renuka Balasooriya and Somaratne Dissanayake, Antonin Dedet and Dominique Welinski on behalf of Neon Production in France and Sanjeewa Pushpakumara on behalf of Sapushpa Expressions in Sri Lanka.