The 19th Presidential Film Awards festival (Sinhala: 19 වැනි ජනාධිපති සම්මාන උලෙළ), presented by the Sri Lanka Film Corporation with the collaboration of the Presidential Secretariat and the Ministry of Parliamentary Reforms and Mass Media, was held on July 29, 1996, at the Nelum Pokuna Mahinda Rajapaksa Theatre, Colombo 07, Sri Lanka. His Excellency The President Maithripala Sirisena was the chief guest at the awards night.
Around 96 Awards were presented to 27 artists who excelled in 79 films in Sinhala cinema screened from 2016 to 2018 (Twenty five films screened in 2016, twenty six films screened in 2017 and twenty eight films in 2018). Meanwhile, 11 recipients won the Pioneer Awards, Swarnasinghe Awards and Vishwa Keerthi Awards. The Swarnasinghe Lifetime Award was presented by President to veteran artists Ravindra Randeniya, Nita Fernando and Sugathapala Senarath Yapa. Meanwhile, Anoma Janadari and film director Sanjeewa Pushpakumara received the Vishwa Keerthi Award from the President for their acting talent. Purogami Awards were won by Shanthi Abeysekera, Anton Gregory, K.D. Dayananda, Swarna Kahawita, Sunil Soma Peiris and Alexander Fernando.
2016 Awards
Category Film RecipientBest FilmLet Her CryAsoka Jagath WijenayakeBest DirectionLet Her CryAsoka HandagamaBest ScriptSayapethi KusumaVisakesa ChandrasekaramBest ActorMotor BicycleDasun PathiranaBest ActressLet Her CrySwarna MallawarachchiBest Supporting ActorAdaraneeya KathawakBimal JayakodyBest Supporting ActressMotor BicycleVeena JayakodyPaththiniAruni RajapakshaBest CinematographerLet Her CryChanna DeshapriyaBest LyricistSayapethi KusumaVisakesa ChandrasekaramBest Music DirectorSakkarangNadeeka GurugeBest SongMotor BicycleAjith KumarasiriBest Playback SingerLet Her CryChitral SomapalaMotor BicycleAjith KumarasiriBest Playback SongstressPaththiniNirosha VirajiniSarigamaUresha RavihariBest EditorLet Her CryRavindra GurugeBest Sound DesignerMaya 3DPravin JayaratneBest Art DirectorSakkarangLal HarindranathBest Make-up ArtistMaya 3DNalin PremarthilakeBest Actor in a Comedy Role Maya 3DPubudu ChathurangaBest Upcoming ActorSayapethi KusumaJehan Sri KanthBest FilmSayapethi KusumaYashoda RasanduniMaximum Audience ResponsePaththiniSpecial Jury AwardsPaththini (costumes)Venuka WickramaarchchiPaththini (choreography)Chandana WickramasingheMotor Bicycle (acting)Samanalee FonsekaMerit AwardsSakkarang (acting)Thusitha LaknathMotor Bicycle (acting)Kalana KusalathaSakkarang (acting)Prasadini AtapattuAdaraneeya Kathawak (cinematography)Ruwan Costa
2017 Awards
Category Film RecipientBest Film28Rashitha JinasenaBest Direction28Prasanna JayakodyBest Script28Prasanna JayakodyBest Actor28Mahendra PereraBest Actress28Semini IddamalgodaBest Supporting ActorSulanga Gini AranRoshan RavindraBest Supporting ActressSwaroopaNita FernandoBest CinematographerNimnayaka HudekalawaChanna DeshapriyaBest LyricistKaalaRaji Wasantha WelgamaBest Music DirectorAloko UdapadiMilinda TennekoonBest SongKaalaDarshana Ruwan DissanayakeBest Playback SingerKaalaThusith SimpsonBest Playback SongstressNino LiveUmali ThilakarathneBest Editor28Rangana SinharageBest Sound DesignerAloko UdapadiSasika Ruwan MarasingheBest Art Director28Nuwan SanurangaBest Make-up ArtistSwaroopaRanjith ManthagaweeraBest Actor in a Comedy RolePaha SamathGiriraj KaushalyaPaha SamathPriyantha SeneviratneBest Upcoming ActorAloko UdapadiShammu KasunBest Upcoming ActressNino LiveYureni NoshikaMaximum Audience ResponseDharmayuddhayaSpecial Jury AwardsA Level (acting)Jayalath ManoratneAloko Udapadi (acting)Darshan DharmarajAloko Udapadi (acting)Chathra WeeramanMerit AwardsA Level (acting)Sachira WeerasingheKaala (singing)Himasha ManupriyaSwaroopa (acting)Rini de SilvaCertificates of Jury AssessmentKaala (acting)Chalesha CharunethraDharmayuddhaya (acting)Vinumi VinsadiPaha Samath (acting)Sharad ChandumaPaha Samath (acting)Sejan HansakaPaha Samath (acting)Kivindi KasundaraPaha Samath (acting)Amiru Koralage
2018 Awards
Category Film RecipientBest FilmDavena WihagunSanjeewa PushpakumaraBest DirectionDavena WihagunSanjeewa PushpakumaraBest ScriptDavena WihagunSanjeewa PushpakumaraBest ActorDavena WihagunMahendra PereraBest ActressDavena WihagunAnoma JanadariBest Supporting ActorNidahase Piya DSPoojitha de MelBest Supporting ActressDavena WihagunSamanalee FonsekaBest CinematographerVaishnaveeNimal MendisBest LyricistSarungalAchala SolomanBest Music DirectorAccording to MatthewChandana JayasingheBest SongSarungalRanga DassanayakeBest Playback SingerGharasarapaBachi SusanBest Playback SongstressGharasarapaSamitha MudunkotuwaBest EditorKomaali KingsAnjelo JonesBest Sound DesignerNidahase Piya DSPravin JayaratneBest Art DirectorKomaali KingsDasun RavinathBest Make-up ArtistVaishnaveeEbert WijesingheVaishnaveeRanjith ManthagaweeraBest Actor in a Comedy RoleKomaali KingsRaja GanesanBest Upcoming ActorGharasarapaDevnaka PorageBest Upcoming ActressGharasarapaKavindya AdhikariMaximum Audience ResponseBimba Devi Alias YashodharaSpecial Jury AwardsSalei Pukkal (acting)Sri NiroshanSalei Pukkal (acting)Sudharshan RutnamGoal (acting)David KarunaratneMerit AwardsSarungal (acting)Chamathka LakminiGoal (acting)Nayana Darshani Perera
Next edition was held in 2023 at 20th Presidential Awards References