Award winning Sri Lankan cinematographer Dhanushka Gunathilake has been appointed Head of Discovery Campus at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) in Estonia, marking another major milestone in his distinguished international career.

A respected cinematographer and festival executive, Gunathilake has worked on acclaimed films, including ” The Frozen Fire” (Ginnen Upan Seethala) by Anuruddha Jayasinghe. In addition to his work behind the camera, he has been closely associated with PÖFF for several years, serving as a television host, Q&A moderator, and Project Manager of ‘Frame Within a Frame’ the cinematography masterclass series. He also won the Best Cinematographer Award for the film “Thanha Rathi Ranga”.

In recognition of his global impact, the International Federation of Cinematographers (IMAGO-ITC) honoured Gunathilake at the EuroCine Expo 2025 in Munich, selecting him as one of only 50 elite cinematographers worldwide as a resource person and panelist considering outstanding contributions to education, visual aesthetics, and technical advancement in cinematography. He was also featured by the leading British publication “Cinematography World” among the top 50 cinematographers in Europe, citing his rare dual influence as both a visual artist and a committed educator.

Gunathilake’s journey at PÖFF has been marked by steady progression. As Project Manager at Discovery Campus, he led “Frame Within A Frame”, the festival’s first masterclass initiative dedicated exclusively to cinematography. An alumnus of the prestigious Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) and the founder of Sri Lanka’s first state-sponsored film school, his new leadership role brings together his technical expertise and long standing passion for film education.

With over 15 years of experience, Gunathilake has contributed to some of the most significant works in contemporary Sri Lankan cinema. He first gained international attention with his award winning debut feature “Between Yesterday and Tomorrow” (Thanha Rathi Ranga). His later projects include “The Frozen Fire” (Ginnen Upan Seethala), the first Sri Lankan film ever submitted for the Academy Awards, and “Dark in the White Light” (Sulanga Gini Aran), which received a Golden Leopard nomination at the Locarno Film Festival.

Sujeeva Nivunhella reporting from Tallinn

The Court of Appeal yesterday (03) dismissed the petitions against the remanding of Ven Balangoda Kassapa Thera and Ven Trincomalee Kalyanawansa Tissa Thera in a case filed against them for allegedly placing a Buddha statue in a coastal reservation in Trincomalee on 16 January.

The order was issued by the Court of Appeal bench consisting of the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Rohantha Abesuriya and Justice Priyantha Fernando.

Earlier, the decision was to be announced on 30 January, 2026, but postponed to 03 February.

The Trincomalee Magistrate’s Court on Monday (02) further remanded 10 persons, including four Buddhist monks.

All of them were remanded further until 09 February, pending further investigations. They were first arrested on 19 January, and then remanded until 28 January and 02 February.

The Constitutional Council (CC) yesterday (03) unanimously approved the appointment of Senior Deputy Auditor General L.S.I. Jayaratne to the position of Auditor General of Sri Lanka.

Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne chaired the CC meeting. During a dispute between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the CC, the latter rejected a proposal that Jayaratne be appointed as Acting Auditor General; it said the appointment should be on a permanent basis.

President Dissanayake previously nominated three outsiders for the post of Auditor General but in vain.