Ceylon Comic Fest was a novel initiative by the Club Service Avenue of the Rotaract Club of University of Sri Jayewardenepura organized in collaboration with Sri COM to bring together fans of comics, fantasy, manga, anime, gaming, science fiction, and pop culture to enjoy, discuss, and share information and experiences about their interests and about being part of the geek community in Sri Lanka. The two-day event, which was held on the 22nd and 23rd of April 2023 at Trace Expert City, Maradana, provided a perfect opportunity for everyone to trance to their childhoods while spending quality time with their loved ones.

The events of the first day of Ceylon Comic Fest began with a “Comic Creators and Digital Artists Panel,” where young Sri Lankan creators got the opportunity to showcase their comics and artworks to the audience and talk about their creations, inspiration, and artwork. Next was the “Short Film Panel,” hosted by a short film director, Mr. Mahela Hettiarachchi. Several new short films and trailers created by Sinhala and Tamil amateur artists were showcased, and they were allowed to explain their creations. The panel ended with an open invitation to all those who attended to look forward to their future creations. Up next was the “Anime Panel,” hosted by the NFSL Anime Community, which introduced the audience to popular anime creations and led an interesting discussion regarding anime and manga.

Panels for day two began with the “Astro Panel,” hosted by the Central Initiative for Astronomical Studies, a club formed to familiarize Sri Lankans with the wonders of the galaxy. They explained different initiatives they have undertaken in this regard, such as organizing astronomical night camps, educational lectures for school students, and hosting stalls and panels in exhibitions. The stage was then taken by ‘Pruve’, the team behind the film ‘Marine Drive’, which included some well-known faces in the Sri Lankan content creation sphere, such as Mr. Rusiru Ranasinghe, Mr. Sandakath Mahagamaarachchi, Mr. Umesh Rajapakse, and Mr. Sajith Kandanaarachchi. At the end of the panel, our audience was lucky enough to witness the first public reveal of the theme song for ‘Marine Drive’.

Next up on stage was the much-awaited panel featuring the crew behind Sri Lanka’s first 3D animation film, ‘Gajaman’. The Director of Gajaman, Mr. Chanaka Perera, was joined by the two writers Mr. Suneth Chithrananda and Mr. Gaminda Priyaviraj, more popularly known as Chooti Malli and Podi Malli, where they treated the audience to their experience of making the record-breaking film, behind-the-scenes scoops, and other insights.

Among all these, the most eye-catching event of Ceylon Comic Fest was the Cosplay Competition. On both days, many different cosplayers arrived from different parts of the country adorned in attractive costumes from various works of fiction. Some DIY costumes were very well crafted, and it was impressive to see their attention to detail, which very well showcased their passion for art. Day Two of Ceylon Comic Fest ended with the ramp walk of the cosplayers, which was a truly memorable sight for everyone present, and announcing the winners.

After two days of insightful sessions, fun, and enjoyment, Ceylon Comic Fest came to an end, giving a fresh experience and a great opportunity for the Sri Lankan geek community to connect with each other after 4 years. The day witnessed many new friendships and old friendships rekindling, and everyone who attended walked away with happy memories. We take this opportunity to thank the organizing committee, sponsors, especially Innovate, our main sponsor, and every other person who supported us in various ways to make this project a success.

Written by: Rtr. Chathuni Edirisinghe

Graphic design by: Rtr. Nisal Dilmith