April 01, 2024

President Ranil Wickremesinghe announced at the Raigam Awards ceremony held on the 30th that state sponsorship will be provided to produce Sri Lanka's first AI film.

He also stated that the Committee on the Introduction of Artificial Intelligence to Sri Lanka was instructed to produce Sri Lanka's first AI film in collaboration with the University of Moratuwa and the University of Aesthetics.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe said that attention has been focused on modernizing the outdated National Film Corporation and maintaining it as a film and teledrama development institution.

He said that the necessary background will be created to create new teledramas like Yashorawaya again, and stated that foreign training opportunities will be provided to empower artists and creative professionals with modern technological knowledge.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe made this statement while addressing the 20th Raigam Teles Awards ceremony held at the Shangri-La Hotel in Colombo recently (March 30). Stating that the world is moving forward with Netflix and Amazon today, Mr. Wickremesinghe said that Sri Lanka should also move forward with this.

Over sixty awards were presented across seven categories, recognizing excellence in teledrama, media programs, and television news programs that aired in 2023.

Veteran actor Mahendra Perera was awarded the Best Teledrama Actor of the Year and Semini Iddamalgoda was awarded the Best Teledrama Actress of the Year by the President.

The teledrama "Eya Adha Bandala" directed by Prasanna Jayakody and produced by Wasantha Kannangara was awarded as the Best Teledrama Direction of the Year as well as the Best Teledrama of the Year.

Veteran artists Athula Ransirilal, Giwantha Arthasad and Grace Thennakoon, who received the Raigam Special Commendation Award, received awards from President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The once-in-a-lifetime ?Raigam Prathibha Prabha? honorary award was presented to Dr. Rohana Weerasinghe. Hiru TV and Sirasa TV shared the award for the award-winning media program channel of the year.

Independent Television, which won both the awards for the Best Teledrama Channel of the Year and the Best Channel of the Year, was presented with an award by the President.

Minister of Transport, Highways and Mass Media Dr. Bandula Gunawardena, Professor Sunil Ariyaratne, Professor J.B. Dissanayake and a group of distinguished guests attended the awards ceremony.