The final rites of veteran Sri Lankan filmmaker Sumitra Peries, who passed away on Thursday (19 Jan.), were performed with full state honours at the Independence Square in Colombo on Saturday (Jan. 21).The late film maker passed away at the age of 88 while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Colombo.Fondly known as the “Poetess of Sinhala Cinema”, she was also the first Sri Lankan female filmmaker, making her debut through “Gehenu Lamai”. She further contributed to the Sinhala cinema through “Ganga Addara”, “Yahaluvo”, “Maya”, “Sakman Maluwa”, “Vaishnavee”.

She also served as Sri Lanka’s ambassador to France, Spain and the United Nations in the late 1990s.She was the wife of late Dr. Lester James Peries, who is considered one of the greatest cinematographers in Sri Lanka.