Sri Lankan filmmaker Lester James Peries dies at 99 By Pani Wijesiriwardane and Gamini Karunatileka 23 May 2018 Lester James Peries, widely regarded as the “father of Sri Lankan cinema” and revered throughout much of South Asia, died on April 29, a few weeks after his 99th birthday. Born on April 5, 1919, Peries … Continue reading Sri Lankan filmmaker Lester James Peries dies at 99