# 20th Presidential Awards

The 20th Presidential Awards festival (Sinhala: 20 වැනි ජනාධිපති සම්මාන උලෙළ), presented by the Sri Lanka Film Corporation with the collaboration of the Presidential Secretariat (Sri Lanka) of Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Media, was held on November 14, 2023, at the Nelum Pokuna Mahinda Rajapaksa Theatre, Colombo 07, Sri Lanka. His Excellency The President Ranil Wickramasinghe was the chief guest at the awards night.
The event, which was not held since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, handed over 53 awards after reviewing 42 films screened in 2019 and 2020.

## Special awards

Uga Abimani Swarna Sinha Award
* Cyrl Wikrama
* Chandram Rathnam
* Swenetha Weerasinghe

## 2019 awards

| Category | Film | Recipient |
| Best Film | Ginnen Upan Seethala | Chamathka Peris |
| Best Direction | Ginnen Upan Seethala | Anuruddha Jayasinghe |
| Best Script | Ginnen Upan Seethala | Ariyawansha Dannage |
| Best Actor | Ginnen Upan Seethala | Kamal Addararachchi |
| Best Actress | Dekala Purudu Kenek | Samadhi Laksiri |
| Best Supporting Actor | Thaala | Priyantha Sirikumara |
| Best Supporting Actress | Ginnen Upan Seethala | Dilhani Ekanayake |
| Best Cinematographer | Vishama Bhaga | Palitha Perera |
| Best Lyricist | Vishama Bhaga | Lalith Rathnayaka |
| Best Music Director | Ginnen Upan Seethala | Nadeeka Guruge |
| Best Song | Thaala - Kan Kan buru | Chinthaka Jayakodi |
| Best Playback Singer | Ginnen Upan Seethala | Nawarathna Gamage |
| Best Playback Songstress | Ginnen Upan Seethala | Umaria Sinhawansa |
| Best Editor | Ginnen Upan Seethala | Ravindra Guruge |
| Best Sound Designer | | |
| Best Art Director | Wishama Bhaga | Sampath Wanniarachchi |
| Best Make-up Artist | Ginnen Upan Seethala | Naradha Thotagamuwa |
| Best Actor in a Comedy Role | | |
| Best Upcoming Actor | Ginnen Upan Seethala | Susan Kahandawa |
| Best Film | Ginnen Upan Seethala | |
| Maximum Audience Response | Wijayaba Kollaya | Rs 115.91 Mn |
| Special Jury Awards | Wijayaba Kollaya | Hemal Ranasinghe |

## 2020 awards

| Category | Film | Recipient |
| Best Film | The Newspaper | |
| Best Direction | Paangshu | Vishakesa Chandrasekharam |
| Best Script | Paangshu | Vishakesa Chandrasekharam |
| Best Actor | The Newspaper | Kumara Thirimadura |
| Best Actress | Paangshu | Nita Fernando |
| Best Supporting Actor | Paangshu | Jagath Manuwarna |
| Best Supporting Actress | Paangshu | Nadee Kammallaweera |
| Best Cinematographer | The Newspaper | Chandani Jayasinghe |
| Best Lyricist | The Newspaper | Sunil Ariyarathna |
| Best Music Director | The Newspaper | Gayathri Kemadasa |
| Best Song | The Newspaper | Sunil Ariyarathna |
| Best Playback Singer | Tsunami | Harshana Dissanayake |
| Best Playback Songstress | The Newspaper | Nanda Malini |
| Best Editor | The Newspaper | Rukmal Nirosh |
| Best Sound Designer | Tsunami | Arunu Priyantha Kaluarachchi |
| Best Art Director | The newspaper | Ajantha Alahakoon |
| Best Make-up Artist | Tsunami | Vidura Abeydeera |
| Best Actor in a Comedy Role | | |
| Best Upcoming Actor | Panshuu | Xavier Kanishka |
| Best Upcoming Actress | The Newspaper | Mashi Siriwardane |
| Maximum Audience Response | Tsunami | Rs 82.83 Mn |
| Special Jury Awards | Tsunami | Menara Weeratunga |