The crowning achievement of the late Lester James Peries – Sri Lanka’s most influential filmmaker – The Treasure is also the master’s most controversial and darkest picture. Based on a short story by renowned Sinhala writer G. B. Senanayake, The Treasure tells the story of an idle, wealthy middle-aged man who stumbles upon a map for a treasure that can only be attained by sacrificing a virgin woman. The measured pace, meticulous set design, and evocative cinematography conjure up an atmospheric tale that doubles as a meditation on crumbling class structures and the destructive legacy of European colonialism.

Restored in 2013 by the Film Foundation’s World Cinema Project at Cineteca di Bologna/L'Immagine Ritrovata laboratory. In association with Lester James and Sumitra Peries, the National Film Archive of India and the National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka, Cinemas Ltd. Additional restoration elements provided by Degeto Films. Restoration funding provided by Doha Film Institute.