As Sumitra Peries’ landmark 1978 debut “Gehenu Lamai” (The Girls) prepares for its restored world premiere at Cannes Classics, India’s Film Heritage Foundation has revealed the extraordinary technical challenges overcome during the film’s painstaking restoration process. The black and white classic returns to screens 47 years after its original release, following a complex reconstruction effort.
Set in rural Sri Lanka, the film, honored as the Outstanding Film of the Year at the 1978 London Film Festival, follows Kusum, a dutiful girl who falls in love with Nimal, an upper class boy, in whose house she works. Nimal’s mother is outraged when she finds out about the relationship as Kusum
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