Srilanka, May 8 -- The landmark 1978 Sinhala-language film Gehenu Lamai (Girls), directed by the late Dr. Sumitra Peries, has been officially selected for the prestigious Cannes Classics section at the 78th Festival de Cannes.

The restored version of the film will be screened next week, celebrating its place in South Asian cinematic heritage.

The film's restoration was carried out in 4K by the Film Heritage Foundation at the renowned L'Immagine Ritrovata laboratory. The project was undertaken in collaboration with the Lester James Peries and Sumitra Peries Foundation and funded under the France-India-Sri Lanka Cine Heritage (FISCH) initiative, with support from the French Embassies in Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and India.

The Cannes sc...