Nita wins 2nd int’l best actress award

Veteran actress Nita Fernando recently won her second international best actress award at the 2019 Nice International Film Festival for her outstanding performance in ‘Paangshu’. “Paangshu” won two major awards at the foreign feature film competition of 2019 Nice International Film Festival of France. Veteran actress Nita Fernando won the Best Actress Award while Kumara Karawdeniya won the Best Costume Designer’s award. Director Visakesa Chandrasekaram was also nominated for the Best Screenplay award. 

A special Thanks Giving mass for best actress Nita Fernando and best costume designer Kumara Karawdeniya was held at St. Johns Dal Basthoni Church in Pelawatta recently by Rev. Fr. Anthony Fernandopulle.

In Paangshu, Nita Fernando plays the role of a mother who seeks justice for her son abducted by paramilitary men during the 1988/89 insurgency. Marvelled by her extraordinary achievement, Nita said, ‘this is the most difficult role in my acting career and I am eternally thankful to my director Visakesa Chandrasekaram for guiding me to present an outstanding performance.’ This is Nita’s second international award (Nita won the Award of Best Actress at the 1998 Singapore International Film Festival).

Kumara Karawdeniya is the first Sri Lankan to win an international film award for costume designing. Kumara also held the title of the Art Director in Paangshu to recreate the gloomy background of the insurgency took place in the late eights. Kumara who travelled to France to participate in the award ceremony said, ‘it is a great evening where the best talents of the international film industry were displayed and I was honoured to represent Sri Lanka at this extraordinary event’. 

Commenting on the achievements of his team members, the writer/director of Paangshu, Visakesa Chandrasekaram said, ‘it is wonderful that our hard work is appreciated internationally, and this helps us to create a dialogue about the themes of this film - the rule of law, justice and reconciliation. There has been no better time for us to engage in a public debate to ensure that violent atrocities fuelled by extremism and hatred.”

nita fernando in a scene from ‘paangshu’