Sri Lankan filmmaker Sudath Mahadivulwewa has returned to cinema with his latest work, My Red Comrade, securing the prestigious Golden Lotus Award for Best Feature Film at the 7th South Asian Film, Arts, and Literature (SAFAL) International Film Festival. Held at the Pioneer Theatre in Castle Hill, Sydney, the event celebrated the richness and diversity witnessed in South Asian cinema while honoring the artistic figures in the industry.
This achievement is a triumphant comeback for Mahadivulwewa, whose last feature film, Sudu Kalu Saha Alu, premiered in 2005. After nearly two decades of silence from directing, the acclaimed filmmaker, now the Chairman of the National Film Corporation (NFC) of Sri Lanka, has reestablished his mastery with a film that captures the haunting spirit of Sri Lanka’s troubled past.
Far from a conventional production, the film is a daring cinematic experiment that squeezes the 90-minute-long narrative into a 20-square-foot room. A tightly interwoven storyline, My Red Comrade’s minimalistic approach to psychological and emotional experience is a testament to the director’s ability to insert depth and intensity in a confined space.
Actors making their big screen debuts take on the film’s lead roles. Professional Sinhala copywriter and creative artist Asiri Allage, who has also dabbled in painting, sculpting, and stand-up comedy, along with Tharindi Fernando, who has already established herself as an award-winning teledrama actress, both take on their first major roles in films, delivering standout performances that bring out the heart of the story—the loss of an artistic soul in a place scarred by youth uprisings and decades of civil war.
The Australian South Asia Forum Inc. (ASAF) hosts the SAFAL International Film Festival annually, which has become a major platform for celebrating South Asian creativity. Connecting Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan, and Australia, the festival engages meticulously in cross-cultural dialogue and artistic innovation.
Following the announcement of My Red Comrade as the winner, the jury praised the film’s “cinematic purity, beauty, and storytelling excellence rooted in the cultural spirit of South Asia.” The recognition not only solidifies Mahadivulwewa’s directorial vision but also places Sri Lankan films firmly within the spectrum of international cinema.
Chief Guest Mark Hodges, who is a Member of Parliament for Castle Hill, praised the festival’s mission of building a platform that facilitates diverse voices. “The SAFAL International Film Festival is not just about cinema; it is about cultural dialogue and artistic excellence,” he said, congratulating the winners.
Emerging Sri Lankan filmmaker Praharsha Induwara also received the Jury’s Encouragement Award—New Horizons Jury Award for his film The Empty Robe, introducing new talent that is expected to carry Sri Lankan cinema forward.
The festival, in addition to Sri Lanka’s achievements, also gave recognition to an array of films that spanned across various genres. An Indian-Australian co-production, Let’s Go Below the Rainbow, directed by Julian Karikalan, received the Breaking Boundaries Award, while the Special Jury Recognition Award was given to the Indian film Mog Asum by Radheshyam Pipalwa and Agnelo Angelo Branganza.
In the short film categories, The Pocket Watch (India/Australia) by Sreejith Jayadevan was named Best Short Film, while Naaz (Pakistan/Canada) by Bakhtawar Tagar won Best Short Documentary. The innovative AI Visionary Award went to Prompted, directed by Harishankar Thiyagarajan, while the Rhythm of South Asia Award for Best Music-related Short Film was awarded to Bhoom Shankara by Mahesh Raj. Extending its global reach, the festival also awarded Shepherd, an Iranian film by Alborz Poursayad, with the Beyond Borders Jury Award.
Now in its seventh year, the SAFAL festival has established itself as a key cultural event that celebrates the South Asian storytelling traditions while embracing new forms and bold experiments.
