H. D. Premaratne

Born on January 1, 1944 — died December 26, 2005 (aged 61)

Hapuarachchige Don Premaratne (1944 – 26 December 2005) was a highly acclaimed, award-winning Sri Lankan filmmaker, director, screenwriter, and producer. He is widely remembered as the pioneer and symbol of "parallel cinema" in Sri Lanka, successfully bridging the gap between artistic, socially conscious storytelling and commercial box-office success.