The Annual Short Film Festival and Award Ceremony of the Women and Media Collective was held on the 4th of April 2023, at the Thranganie Hall of the National Film Cooperation from 2.30 pm to 5.00 pm.
The Festival celebrated the finalist film makers of the Short Film Competition held in the month of February under the theme “Unpaid Care Work and Persons with Disabilities”. The event began with Dr Sepali Kottegoda, Director Programmes of WMC, providing a brief background to the Theme and the history of the Women and Media Collective followed by the screening of the Short Films by the Finalists of the Short Film Festival.
168 scripts were received by the Women and Media Collective and 38 were invited to a script writing workshop. The participants finally sent in 14 short films that went through a panel of judges, made up of Veteran film makers and cinematographers, where the final winners were chosen,
Best Short Film Awards,
1st Place – “Fate” by Isuru Ratnayake
2nd Place – “Beyond the Door’ by Gopi Krishna
3rd Place – “Tomorrow” by Yasiru Sandaruwan
Best Screenplay Awards,
1st Place – “Substitute” by Jayashika Padmasiri
2nd Place – Fate” by Isuru Ratnayake
3rd Place – “Money Order” by Deva Aloysius
Jury Award for Best Short Film,
“Dinethra” by Ariyavansha Dhammage
Jury Awards for Best Script,
The Dark Nest by Kinsley Gomes
“ Jeevithayata Ida denna” by Thisara Thulvan