Sumitra Peries (1935-2023). The first female film director from Sri Lanka who was known as the "Poetess of Sinhala Cinema". She served as Sri Lanka's Ambassador to France, Spain and the Permanent Delegate to the UNESCO in the late 1990s. Sri Lankan classic film Gehenu Lamai (The Girls), directed by her in 1978 has received significant recent recognition and was selected for a world premiere at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival 2025.