Jagath Manuwarna

Jagath Manuwarna, a celebrated writer, director, and human rights activist from Sri Lanka, honed his filmmaking skills at the National Film Cooperation-Sri Lanka, specializing in film directing and script writing in 2008. He has acted in internationally recognized films like "Ayu" (2020), "Paangshu" (2020), "Nikini Wessa" (2013), and "Karma" (2010), which he co-wrote.

As a Short-film Director, his works highlighting suppressed youth uprisings, including "Speck of Fire" (2006), "Water Lily" (2011), and "Playing Cards" (2012), received numerous awards in Sri Lanka. His feature-length debut, "Whispering Mountains," revolving around the same theme, premiered at the International Film Festival Rotterdam in February 2023, where it won the NETPAC Award for Best Asian Feature Film. This remarkable film was also screened at the International Film Festival Innsbruck - Austria in their Worldwide Visions segment in June 2023, and will be screened at IFFM 2023, further solidifying Jagath's reputation as a talented filmmaker.

IFFM 2023 is thrilled to have Jagath Manuwarna at ANZ Plus IFFM Awards Night 2023 on Friday, 11 August, at 7 PM, Hamer Hall.