Suranga wins Venice Film Mart Award for ‘Blue Prince’
View(s):By Susitha R. Fernando
Sri Lankan filmmaker Suranga D. Katugampala’s latest film project ‘Blue Prince’ won an award at the Venice Production Bridge, the film market of the Venice Film Festival.
Selecting Suranga’s film for the award titled ‘In Progress MFN 2025’, the Jury in its motivation stated ‘For the intention of supporting a director with an original and powerful vision, capable of reconciling classic cinema with contemporary narratives’.
Suranga D. Katugampala
Suranga was awarded during the industry section of the festival. The Jury which was impressed by the film project, co-written with Darshana Vidya Aravinda, has expressed the ability of the film project and its ability to blend the timeless strength of classical cinema with a vision that feels urgent and contemporary.
‘For the two collaborators, the recognition in Venice is the result of months of dedication, imagination and cross-cultural exchange’ the production team stated.
Born in Sri Lanka, the film maker and is long based in Italy. Katugampala’s work often bridges cultures, languages and identities. Developed in collaboration with DarshanaVidya Aravinda, the project was showcased at the Venice Film Market on August 30 and September 1, as part of a curated selection of eleven international projects.
Entirely set in Italy and featuring an international cast, Blue Prince reflects on the complexities of contemporary society through a cross-cultural lens. Its presentation at Venice is not only a strategic step towards fostering international co-productions but also an opportunity to experiment with new production models that challenge traditional filmmaking frameworks.
In parallel with this work of fiction, Katugampala has recently completed in Sri Lanka the documentary ‘End of Battle,’ also developed with DarshanaVidya and awarded the Hubert Bals Fund and CNC Cinéma du monde fund. Scheduled for release in Sri Lankan cinemas next year, the film will be accompanied by a programme of artistic residencies aimed at practically rethinking cinematic practices and experimenting with new forms of storytelling, collaboration, and production.
Aravinda, a creative voice nurtured at home, developed the project with the backing of Kaiya Collective, a Sri Lankan production house committed to fostering bold and original storytelling. Their teamwork, rooted in both tradition and experimentation, has now captured the attention of international producers eager to join the journey of ‘Blue Prince’.
What makes the moment even more symbolic is that Aravinda will soon travel to Italy for the very first time, beginning a new chapter of writing alongside Katugampala. The trip promises to deepen their creative exchange and anchor ‘Blue Prince’ firmly within an international co-production framework.
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