First prize went to ‘The Life’ by Jude Samantha, the second to ‘The Faith’ by Samantha Perera and the third to ‘Defeating the Gale’ by Koshila Peiris. ‘Madhi’ by Mash Piyal and ‘The Confusion’ by Loreta Peiris got a special mention.

Third prize winner Koshila Peiris, a 17-year-old student at St Mary’s School in Pitipana, Negombo, spoke to AsiaNews. She said that in her movie she tried to present the true story of a friend, and “through her, show the value of life” and “depict loneliness and human weaknesses.”  In the story, “the girl contemplates suicide, but is able to convert and understand” what makes life happy and worthy living, she said.

Samantha Perera, who was the runner-up, tried to show Christian values as well as how people live in mutual respect and share Christian joy, overcoming their differences.

In his address, Jayamenne said he set up KithuSara in order to encourage young people to make short films, an art form that is waning, thus enabling them to look at contemporary society.

Fr Sherad Jayawardan, a teacher and a coordinator at KithuSara, said that the group already has 13 productions to its credit, and that it had received praise from filmmakers like Bertrem Nihal and short film director and editor Robert Croos.