Asoka Handagama (born December 1962) is a Sri Lankan filmmaker. He obtained his primary and secondary schooling in a provincial school and went on to study mathematics at the University of Kelaniya where he was awarded a first class honors degree. He obtained his MSc in Development Economics at Warwick University in 1995. He is also an Assistant Governor of the Sri Lankan Central Bank.
Asoka Handagama's entry to film-making was through theater and television. His first theatrical effort, a play of Bhoomika (film), was to address the emerging ethnic crisis in the island. The play won the National Youth award for best direction in 1985. His second stage play, Thunder, placed second in Best Script at the 1987 State Drama Festival. When he directed his third play, Magatha, reactions to it were controversial. The play was challenged by the judicial system of Sri Lanka. However, Magatha was shown in almost all parts of the country. The play won the Best Original Script and Best Director award at the 1989 State Drama Festival. The script was published in 2011, and won the State Literary Award for Best Drama Script. His fourth stage play, A Death at an Antique Shop, debuted in 2021.
Chanda Kinnarie was his debut effort in cinema. Breaking the rules of realism, this film indicated the formation of a cinematic language consisting of hyper-realistic images. The film won the award for Most Promising Director at the Critics' awards in 1994. It was also awarded Best Film, Best Director, and Best Screenplay at the 1998 OCIC awards. When he made his second film, Moon Hunt (1996), he worked with experienced Japanese cinematographer Akira Takada. The film needed a specialist in lighting camera technique, as the whole film takes place at night. Handagama received criticism from his local colleagues for using a foreign cinematographer. It won 6 main awards from Sri Lanka Film Critic's Forum awarded for Best Film, Best Director, Best Script, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Cinematography in 2000. For some technical reasons, the film did not come out to theaters in Sri Lanka.
His works started to attract independent film festival audience around the world with his movie Me Mage Sandai. Veteran Sri Lankan filmmaker Dr. Lester James Peiris named this work as the landmark film which launched the third revolution in Sri Lankan cinema. It was a bold revelation of impact of the war in rural life in the country. Novel in the form, this minimalist film traveled all around the world, was critically acclaimed at more than 50 international film festivals, and won numerous awards in Singapore, Chonju, Delhi, Houston, Bangkok and Tokyo. The film also gained critical success in Europe, and has been considered one of "the most outstanding revelations of the decade" by the prestigious French Film Review "Les Cahiers du Cinéma".
Flying with One Wing (2002) was yet another courageous work by Asoka. This is the first time in this part of the world that the issue of gender politics is addressed in cinema. Having the World Premiere at the San Sebastian Film Festival (2002), it was adjudged as the Best Asian Film at the Tokyo International Film Festival (2002), Audience Award for Best Film at Torino International Film Festival and many more.
Aksharaya (Letter of Fire) was considered the most controversial work and the most talked about film in his career. Banned in Sri Lanka, it raised a fundamental issue of freedom of cinematic expression in Sri Lanka's Supreme Court. Exposed only to international festivals like San Sebastian and Tokyo, this movie, banned in Sri Lanka, found its way to the YouTube where it has been seen by more than 3 million people there.
Disturbed by the painful experience he had with the Aksharaya struggle, he then went on to make a children's movie Vidhu ( 2010). Ini-Avan is considered the most accomplished cinematic work of Asoka Handagama. Premiered at Cannes 2012 as one of the films under ACID (l'Association du Cinéma Indépendant pour sa Diffusion-). Ini-Avan was one of the five films selected for in-depth discussions with the audience conducted by the University of Toronto at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film has been listed for many festivals including Edinburgh, Tokyo, Hamburg and many more.
