Prasad Brings Restored Sri Lankan Gems Welikathara and Akasa Kusum to the 47th Nantes Three Continents Film Festival in France
Mumbai, Nov 19th: Prasad, a global leader in film preservation, restoration, and post-production, is proud to announce the showcase of two iconic Sri Lankan films , Welikathara and Akasa Kusum at the 47th Nantes Three Continents Film Festival in France taking place from November 21 to 29, 2025.
Nantes Three Continents Film Festival is a prestigious platform that celebrates exceptional cinema from Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Both films have been meticulously scanned and restored by Prasad’s award-winning restoration team, known for its archival expertise, technical finesse, and longstanding commitment to safeguarding South Asia’s audiovisual heritage.
Bringing Sri Lankan Classics Back to Life
- Welikathara (1971), regarded as one of the early milestones of Sri Lankan cinema, is celebrated for its bold narrative, visual style, and unforgettable performances that helped shape the language of contemporary Sinhala filmmaking.
- Akasa Kusum (2008), directed by acclaimed filmmaker Prasanna Vithanage, remains a powerful work of modern Sri Lankan cinema. The film continues to resonate with audiences worldwide for its layered emotional depth, nuanced character arcs, and incisive social commentary.
Prasad’s restoration work involved careful frame-by-frame attention, colour grading, and audio clean-up to ensure that audiences in France experience these films as closely as possible to their original artistic intent.
“Seeing my film in such pristine quality at Prasad was one of the happiest moments of my life. After all these years, I can finally share it with audiences the way it was meant to be seen, in its finest form. I’m deeply grateful to everyone at Prasad who poured their heart into this restoration.” shared Prasanna Vithanage, Director of Akasa Kusum
Speaking on the occasion,Kavita Prasad, Managing Director, Prasad Corporation Pvt. Ltd., said,
“It is always an honour when films from our region find new life and new audiences across the world. Sri Lanka’s cinematic legacy is rich, nuanced and deeply human. Restoring titles like Welikathara and Akasa Kusum is not only a technical process for us, it is an act of cultural preservation. We are proud to support filmmakers and national archives in safeguarding their stories for future generations.”
Continuing a Legacy of Preservation
For decades, Prasad has partnered with film archives, producers, and cultural institutions across India, Sri Lanka, and the world to restore and preserve classic and contemporary cinema. Their ongoing work ensures that South Asian film heritage travels across borders, reaching audiences, festivals, and curators who value the emotional and historical significance of these films.
With screenings at Nantes, Welikathara and Akasa Kusum continue their journey, reminding the world of Sri Lanka’s cinematic brilliance while reinforcing Prasad’s enduring commitment to preserving the region’s cultural memory