Malaka Dewapriya (, ) is a Sri Lankan film maker, visual artist, Sinhala Radio Play writer, short film and video director.
Biography Born in Sri Lanka, Malaka Dewapriya earned his BA (Special) from the University of Colombo in 2005. Following graduation, he was awarded the prestigious Baden-Württemberg scholarship for Video/Film/New Media, which enabled him to pursue an academy program at Akademie Schloss Solitude in Stuttgart, Germany (2007–2008).Cf. He was awarded the Asia Pacific Artists Fellowship,Cf. (2009 competition deadline: 1 March 2009.) supporting his short-term residency as a visiting artist at the GoYang Art Studio—part of,National Museum of Contemporary Art in Seoul, South Korea, from 2008–2009 ("5th period", "no. 671").
Dewapriya’s artistic journey began in theatre, where he started performing, writing, and directing short plays as early as 1989. Over the years, his practice has evolved into a richly interdisciplinary one, encompassing film, photography, theatre, and radio drama. [Interview with Dewapriya.]
Dewapriya holds the distinction of being the first filmmaker in the history of Sri Lankan cinema to present a film internationally as a student director.
An interdisciplinary artist working across audio and visual media, Dewapriya is deeply committed to revitalizing Sri Lankan radio drama through alternative platforms. His oeuvre includes a range of innovative productions that challenge conventional aesthetics and seek to re-engage public audiences with the expressive potential of sound-based storytelling.
Critics have hailed his debut feature, Bahuchithawadiya (The Undecided), as the fourth turning point in Sri Lankan cinema, citing its conceptual boldness, its innovative use of visual and sonic narrative that departs from traditional forms, and its philosophical portrayal of social life.
Beyond his creative output, Dewapriya has played a vital role in shaping Sri Lanka’s cultural landscape.
Short films experience Dewapriya emerged onto the Sri Lankan cinematic landscape as a pioneering student filmmaker. His early short film Anxiety (Sammanaru) was awarded Best Film by the National Youth Services Council (NYSCO) Video Production team in 1998—an early testament to his bold aesthetic and thematic sensibilities. As a student of the acclaimed Sri Lankan filmmaker Dharmasena Pathiraja, Dewapriya carried forward a legacy of socially engaged cinema, though refracted through experimental forms and global dialogues. His short films have garnered international acclaim and played a vital role in re-establishing a culture of student short filmmaking in Sri Lanka. In 2004, while still an undergraduate at the University of Colombo, Dewapriya’s short film Life Circle (5:31) was selected for the juried competition at the 10th International Student Film Festival in Tel Aviv, Israel—held from 5 to 12 June. According to Sunday Times, this marked the first time a Sri Lankan student film had been chosen for a recognised international film festival history of Cinema of Sri Lanka. The selection as a crucial moment for revitalising short film culture in Sri Lanka." "This was the first time a Sri Lankan student's film was chosen in an internationally recognised festival. And the selection was a big step to re-establish short film culture in Sri Lanka." [Interview with Dewapriya.]
Life Circle went on to be screened at numerous international venues, including the Chimera 25th Anniversary Digital Video Student Film Festival in New York, Cinestud International Student Film Festival in Amsterdam, and the Osian Cinefan Film Festival’s Talent Campus Forum in New Delhi(2004 and 2005). [Interview with Dewapriya.] [Interview with Dewapriya.] His short experimental film Exchange, exploring "colonial Sri Lanka under the British rule", was presented under the auspices of the University of Colombo and became "The first Sri Lankan entry" at the Tokyo Short Shorts Film Festival in October 2004. [Interview with Dewapriya.] Screened under Program A: "Short Shorts: Ghost Short Shorts," the work showcased Dewapriya’s ability to interrogate historical memory through non-linear form and thematic fragmentation.
In 2006, Dewapriya’s 30-minute short Transference received the "Silver TEN Award" in the Short Films category at the inaugural Mumbai, India, International Sport Movies & TV (FICTS) Festival. The film was also selected for screening at the South Asia Film Festival New Delhi, the Berlin Asia Film Festival, and the Karafilm Festival in Karachi, consolidating his presence across key South Asian and European cinematic flatforms.
Today, Another short film developed during his residency at Akademie Schloss Solitude in Stuttgart, Germany, was chosen for the final round of the CinemadaMare Film Festival in Italy in 2008, competing among over 150 directors in the semi-finals(Website for festival dates: 4 July – 16 August 2009): "CinemadaMare Film Festival aims to be the ideal formative experience for all filmmakers and cinema students: that kind of experience that achieves its goal – professional and human growth – through enjoyment and entertainment."
Dewapriya’s innovative engagement with the short film genre revitalized its cultural significance in Sri Lanka. Moving beyond its traditional framing as student work or marginal practice, he positioned short filmmaking as a distinct aesthetic form. Through technically sophisticated and socially attuned works, Dewapriya affirmed its potential for narrative complexity, public engagement, and media innovation. (Free access.)
Filmography
Full Length Films
Year Title Credited as NotesDirectorsScreenwritersProducers 2018 Bahuchithawadiya (The Undecided)
Bahuchithawadiya(The Undecided) has indeed stirred critical discourse as a landmark in Sri Lankan cinema. Critics have positioned it as the fourth major rupture in the cinematic tradition, following the stylistic and thematic shifts introduced by Lester James Peries, Dharmasena Pathiraja, and Asoka Handagama. Film has become a landmark in contemporary Sri Lankan cinema, igniting broad and multi-disciplinary critical discourse. The film has attracted sustained attention across traditional and digital media, inviting divergent readings on its aesthetic, ideological, and socio-political layers.This critical momentum has produced a rich body of commentary, with Thilak Kodagoda’s 350-page monograph, Ehima Sudumeli Pitapathak, emerging as a standout. His work offers a deep formal, symbolic, and contextual analysis, situating the film within the evolving landscape of Sri Lankan cinematic modernity.
Philosophical Depth: The film explores themes of alienation, desire, and the illusion of mobility. It’s not just about going abroad — it’s about the existential weight of being stuck in between, both socially and psychologically.
Conceptual Boldness: The film interrogates the fragmented psyche of post-war youth, especially those caught between economic precarity and digital escapism. The protagonist, Sasitha, embodies the “Bahuchithawadiya” — the undecided, multi-minded figure adrift in virtual and real worlds.
Narrative Innovation: Dewapriya blends realist and surrealist modes, using Facebook chats, Skype calls, and digital interfaces as narrative devices. This breaks from conventional linear storytelling and introduces a hybrid visual grammar.
Sonic and Visual Language: The use of cinematography creates a layered sensory experience that mirrors the protagonist’s fractured interiority.
Sound design incorporates: The film’s music and sound design incorporates ambient urban noise, digital glitches, and intimate voiceovers, crafting a sonic landscape that’s as disorienting as its central character.
International Recognition: The film premiered in the NETPAC (Network for the Promotion of Asia Pacific Cinema) in the competition section competition section at the 40th Moscow International Film Festival 2018, where it was part of the “Discovery: Sri Lankan Cinema” showcase. It went on to win the Best Independent Film Award at The Best Independents International Filmfestival (BIIF) in Karlsruhe, Germany, and received the Lester James Peries Special Jury Award for Debut Film at the 34th Sarasaviya Film Festival 2018. At the 8th SAARC Film Festival, it earned the Special Jury Award for Best Direction, with the jury praising its daring critique of Sri Lankan values through humour and accuracy. The film also won Best Film in the Cinema of Tomorrow 2017 category at the Derana Film Awards, and was screened at the 26th Love is Folly International Film Festival in Bulgaria.
Short films Year Title Credited as NotesDirectorsScreenwritersProducers 1998 Anxiety (short film) National Youth Services Council 2002 Penetrate (short film) University of Colombo 2003 Exchange (short film) University of Colombo 2004 Life Circle (short film) University of Colombo 2006 Transference (short film) University of Colombo Includes synopsis, production details, and "A Review by Harsha Nagaraju". [The title of the film is misspelled; it is Transference, not Transparence.] 2007 Today (short film) Akademie Schloss Solitude 2008 Malte (short film) Akademie Schloss Solitude
Radio Play experience Since his school days, he has been a prolific writer of radio plays, many of which he submitted to the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC). In 1995, he passed SLBC’s audition and earned recognition as a qualified radio play performing artist. His creative output has yielded several published collections, including "Off with the Head (Uge Hisa Ivarai, 2005)", "May You Attain Comforts of Worldly Life in Japan (Nihon Sapa Labewa, 2012)", and "Balance Bareke Busheka Burul (Wobbly Bush in the Balance Bar, 2023)". A landmark moment came in 2016 with the release of Kanata Parak (Earful of Visuals), a dual audio CD anthology of 14 radio plays that marked a radical aesthetic shift in Sri Lankan radio drama, redefining the sonic and narrative possibilities of the medium after nearly 90 years. Earful of Visuals has vocally contributed nearly 80 prominent Sinhala and Tamil artists. Featuring the vocal talents of Sinhala and Tamil artists, the project stands as a testament to collaborative artistry. It was funded by Artlink of FLICT (Facilitating Initiatives for Social Cohesion & Transformation), also known as GIZ, and presented by Contemporary Art Commune, amplifying its social resonance and cultural impact. Volume 1
I. Bashmanthara (between two mind) Sinhalese II.Nihon Sepalebewa (May you attain comforts of worldly life in Japan) Sinhalese III.Rangadena Kapuwo (Trickster Matchmakers) Sinhalese IV.Alayaka Damanaya (Love Tamed) Sinhalese V.Nawanalu Dahama (tele drama worlds order) Sinhalese VII.Ore idaththil soolaludhal (stagnation) TamilVolume 2,
VIII. Tharuwan Saranai (blessed by Star) Sinhalese IX.Ekathena Kerakuma (stagnation) Sinhalese X.Suwadena Agni (soothing fire) Sinhalese XI.Nirabhishekana (fake felicitations) Sinhalese XII.Roma roopana (life in times of rome) Sinhalese XIV.Kalyana tharagargal (trickster matchmakers) Tamil
Malaka Dewapriya’s pioneering contributions to Sri Lankan radio drama were formally recognized at the inaugural State Radio Awards Festival, held at the Nelum Pokuna Theater on 13 February 2017. Organized by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, North-Western Development and Cultural Affairs, in collaboration with the Department of Cultural Affairs and the State Advisory Board for Radio, the event marked a historic moment in the institutional acknowledgment of radio as a serious artistic medium. Dewapriya was honored with the Best Radio Drama Writer Award, affirming his role in revitalizing the genre through experimental form and socio-political critique.