Ceylon International Film Festival: October 24-28

SANTA BARBARA HOSTS THE SECOND CEYLON INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

The Only Festival to Feature Sri Lankan Films Outside Sri Lanka Runs from Oct. 23 to Oct. 28, 2023

Colombo, Sri Lanka and Santa Barbara, California are separated by 9,301 miles and 12.5 time zone hours.  However, Sri Lanka is once again coming to Santa Barbara in the form of the 2nd Ceylon International Film Festival (CEYIFF) which will run from October 24 to October 28, 2023.

CEYIFF is the only film festival in the world to feature Sri Lankan films outside Sri Lanka.  For those seeking cinematic adventure, CEYIFF 2023 offers 4 feature films and 15 accompanying shorts selected by a jury of industry professionals from California and Sri Lanka.  The broad array of films includes features from Sri Lanka, Japan and USA as well as fiction, documentaries and animation.  The program will include a classic of Sri Lankan cinema, The Rainy Day, by Bhadraji Mahinda Jayathilaka, who will be honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award during the Awards Gala.

CEYIFF’s Mission

We believe that the stories we tell through film can positively impact our world.

The mission of CEYIFF is to:

• Expose U.S. audiences to Sri Lankan and other international films.
• Support Sri Lankan and International filmmakers.
• Create connections between the U.S. film industry and the Sri Lankan film industry.
• Foster educational and cultural exchange between the two countries, with a focus on youth.

CEYIFF is 501c(3) non-profit organization.

Buying Tickets

Tuesday, October 24 to Friday, October 27:  Film Screenings and Panel Talks:  FREE (4 pm at Direct Relief International)

For the Saturday events, the following packages are available:

• VIP Package:  $75  (includes the final film screening, awards gala and post-show VIP reception)
• Awards Gala Only (4:30 pm):  $56
• Closing Film Screening only (1:30 pm):  $18

Tickets can be purchased from the Lobero Theater website at the link below: Ceylon Int’l Film Festival – Lobero Theatre

CEYIFF 2023 Program Guide -TBA

We received film submissions from over 50 countries, and our esteemed selection committee and jury are currently engaged in the process of finalizing the selections for 2023.

The final film schedule will be announced shortly.

The CEYIFF 2022 film guide can be found at the link below.  It demonstrates the range of film making occurring in Sri Lanka.

CEYIFF_Film_Schedule_FINAL.pdf (lobero.org)

Venues

• Direct Relief International Headquarters, Hatch Hall, 6100 Wallace Becknell Rd, Santa Barbara, CA 93117
• Lobero Theater, 33 E. Canon Perdido St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101.  Box Office:  805-963-0761

CEYIFF Schedule

Monday, October 23, 4 pm (Direct Relief International)

The festival will kick off with an invitation-only, red carpet event at Hatch Hall, Direct Relief International (DRI) Headquarters in Goleta, California on Tuesday, October 23 at 4:30 pm.

The event will feature a Ceylon High Tea ceremony, sponsored by Hendrick’s Tea House (from Sri Lanka with a branch in Los Angeles) and Masala Spice Restaurant in Goleta.  It will also include a film screening and panel discussion.

Tuesday, October 24 to Friday, October 27, 4 pm (Direct Relief International)

Daily films screenings and panel talks will occur from Tuesday, October 24 to Friday, October 27, starting at 4:30 pm at Direct Relief International (.

In the spirit of cultural exchange, admission to these film screenings and panel talks is free and we encourage everyone in the community to attend.

Saturday, October 28, (Lobero Theater)

CEYIFF 2023 concludes on Saturday, October 28 at the historic Lobero Theater in Santa Barbara, with a full day program:

1:30 pm (Film Screening):  There will be a film screening at 1:30 pm with the film To Be Announced.

4:30 pm (Awards Gala):   A red carpet Awards Gala follows the film screening at 4:30 pm.   The Awards Gala will feature a variety of music, dance and cinematic performances by renowned Sri Lankan, South Indian and Hispanic artists.

7:30 pm (Reception):  The night concludes with a VIP reception in the Lobero Courtyard with food and drink from local purveyors, starting at 7:30.

Further information will be provided on the www.ceyiff.com website and in a subsequent press release.