Commercial Bank, the banking partner

Ceremony at BMICH on March 28

Held after a lapse of six years

28 movies released in 2019, 12 movies released in 2020 nominated


Unilever Sri Lanka Marketing Director Shamara Silva stated that Unilever Sri Lanka is proud to be a part of the Sarasaviya film awards ceremony this year at a time when the company’s famed Lux brand is marking 100 years.

She further said that the Sarasaviya film awards ceremony can be considered as the biggest award ceremony of its kind in Sri Lanka. The 35th edition of the ‘Sarasaviya Award Ceremony’ organized by the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited (ANCL) in collaboration with Unilever Sri Lanka will be held at BMICH on March 28.

This year the award ceremony will be held after a lapse of six years to presents 24 awards for selected movies out of 40 which were released in 2019 and 2020. A total of 28 movies released in 2019 and 12 movies released in 2020 have been nominated for the award ceremony this year.

The ‘Lux Sarasaviya Award Ceremony-2024’ was announced during an event participated by ANCL Chairman Prof. Harendra Kariyawasam, ANCL Board of Directors, Unilever Sri Lanka Marketing Director Shamara Silva, ITN Chairman Sudarshana Gunawardana, Commercial Bank’s Senior Manager (Marketing) Irosha Weththasingha and Sarasaviya newspaper Chief Editor Nuwan Nayanajith held in Colombo yesterday.


ANCL Chairman Prof. Kariyawasam said the Sarasaviya newspaper was launched in 1963 while the Sarasaviya Award Ceremony was launched in the following year. This ceremony was held for the last time in 2018 and was discontinued since then due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the economic crisis in the country. This year the ceremony will be held following the 60th anniversary of the Sarasaviya newspaper.

The awards include two Sir Lester James Peries memorial Awards and two Ranapala Bodhinagoda Memorial awards.Unilever Sri Lanka will be the main sponsor for this year’s edition of the award ceremony while the Commercial Bank being the Banking Partner. The Independent Television Network is the Television Partner for this year’s award ceremony.

Being one of the main and oldest sponsors of the Sarasaviya Award ceremony for 14 years from 1980 to 1994, the Unilever Sri Lanka sponsors the event again this year after 30 years.