Lanka Bandaranayake

Lanka Bandaranayake is a Sri Lankan filmmaker, producer, screenwriter, actor, and theatre artist who mainly works in Sri Lankan cinema. She is known for the short film Tradition (2016).

Early life
Lanka was born in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. She finished her Bachelor of Arts degree (External) in 2016 from the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, and in 2019 she received the ITEC scholarship to study a filmmaking certificate course at the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institution in Kolkata. She received a Chevening Scholarship in 2021 for her Master's Degree in Directing Film and Television, which she completed with Distinction at Bournemouth University in the United Kingdom.

Career
Lanka started her career as a theatre artist in 1998 before making her breakthrough in filmmaking in 2016. She has been working as an actress and costume designer in theatre, teledramas, and films.

In 2008, she was cast in Security, a short theatre play that was directed by Hewage Bandula. It was staged at the Colombo Theatre Fest for Young Audiences, 2008.

Recognition for short films (2016–2021)
Her first short film, Tradition, was selected for more than 40 international film festivals, including the 71st Locarno Film Festival (Open Doors Screenings) 2018 in Switzerland. 21st Toronto Reel Asian Film Festival in Canada, the 16th IVY Film Festival in the US, the 15th Filmfest Düsseldorf in Germany, 14th VIS Vienna Shorts in Austria, Cannes Corner at the 70th Cannes Film Festival in France, UK and other international film festivals.

In 2019, she directed her second short film, Inheritance (2020), with the partnership of the British Council of Sri Lanka in the Female Filmmakers First program, and the film was produced by Agenda 14.

Lanka was a jury member for fiction at the Sound & Image Challenge International Festival in 2018 and 2019 in Macau, and in 2019 she curated films from Sri Lankan Female Filmmakers. Her third short film, Mahasona (2021), was officially selected for various film festivals.

In 2020, Lanka directed "The Delivery" chapter on the anthology film Goodnight Colombo, a project borne during the initial phase of the pandemic. The Goethe-Institut, Sri Lanka and Agenda 14 had been eager to restart the Film Forum by showcasing a special preview of Goodnight Colombo.

Feature film debut (2021–present)
In 2021, her debut feature film, The Hail, was selected by the Film Independent’s Fiscal Sponsorship program at Global Media Makers in Los Angeles. During the program, she developed her debut feature film project, The Hail (Working Title), with Hollywood mentors and script consultants in Los Angeles.

Film Awards

 * Inheritance - Special Jury Award at the Colombo International Women's Film Festival 2020, Sri Lanka.
 * Tradition - Special Jury Recognition at 9th SAARC Film Festival 2019, Sri Lanka.
 * Tradition - Best Short film (Film student award) at 12th Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival 2017, Indonesia.
 * Tradition - Best Cinematography at Euro Kino Czech IIFF 2017, Czech Republic.
 * Winner of the Culture and Creativity category at the Study UK Alumni Awards Sri Lanka 2024

Theatre

 * Punchi Janelaya - Jury Special Awards (Production) at National Youth Award Festival 2009.