Representations of War and Culture in Sri Lankan Cinema: An Analysis of Selected Anti-war Films and Their Audience Interpretations

This research explores how three anti-war films, produced in Sri Lanka during the war period, represent Sri Lankan culture and war; how various stakeholder groups interpret those representations; how these films contribute to Third Cinema and Postcolonial Cinema. This research is significant since its findings add to the broader existing literature on Sri Lankan films and specifically to the scholarly literature on censored political films of Sri Lanka and elsewhere. Moreover, participation in and reading this research empowers audiences, informing them that alternative views create a media and political culture that encourages critical thinking and free expression.