Asoka Handagama

Ashoka Handagama is one of the pioneering film artists in the second Paradigm of Cinema in the Sri Lankan film industry. He completed his first degree in Mathematics at the University of Kelaniya and obtained his master's degree in development economics from the University of Warwick in 1995. He has made 13 films and has contributed greatly to the Sri Lankan film industry as an award-winning filmmaker. His achievements have been recognized worldwide, as he was awarded the Unicorn Award for his contribution to the development of Asian cinema by the Amein International Film Festival from France. 

The last film he worked on was Alborada (2021, DCP), which is a feature film screened at the Tokyo International Film Festival. Let Her Cry (2015), a film directed by Handagama, made a significant impact in the film industry. Its world premiere at the Black Night Film Festival in Tallinn in 2015 was followed by a notable achievement at the SAARC Film Festival in 2017, where it won the Best Film award. 

Ini Avan (2012, DCP, 35mm) film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2012 and earned a Special Jury Mention at the Tokyo International Film Festival in the same year. The film received critical acclaim and was screened at several other prestigious film festivals such as the Toronto International Film Festival, Jeonju International Film Festival, Paris International Film Festival, among others. 

Ashoka Handagama's film Aksharaya (2005, 35MM Feature) was an international success in 2005, premiering at the prestigious San Sebastian and Tokyo Film Festivals. The film's being showcased at numerous festivals across the worldwide. 

Thani Thatuwen Piyambanna, a feature film produced in 2002 and directed by Ashoka Handagama, debuted at the San Sebastian Film Festival and received notable accolades. Specifically, the film won the Best Asian Film award at the Tokyo International Film Festival, along with the Audience Awards for Best Feature and Jury Special Mention at the Torino International Film Festival in Italy, among others. 

 The much-acclaimed film Me Mage Sandayi (2000, Feature) had its world premiere at the prestigious London Film Festival, followed by a screening at the Singapore International Film Festival (In Competition). It has been screened at numerous film festivals all over the world and has won several awards, including the Young Cinema Award for Best Feature from the Singapore International Film Festival 2001, Woosok Award for Best Film from Jeonju International Film Festival, South Korea 2001, and the Golden Swing Award for Jury Prize from Bangkok International Film Festival 2001, and many more. 

Ashoka Handagama is a prominent film director in Sri Lanka who has directed several films over the past 33 years including Chanda Kinnari, Moon Hunt (1996), and Vidhu (2010). He is widely considered as one of the leaders of the third generation of Sri Lankan cinema.

https://iffr.com/en/persons/asoka-handagama

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https://www.academia.edu/37844685/The_Paradigm_Shift_of_Sri_Lankan_Cinema_A_Study_of_Reflections_and_Repercussions_in_the_Cinema_after_Introducing_the_Open_Economy_in_1977