Sugathapala Senarath Yapa

Kala Suri Sugathapala Senarath Yapa (සුගතපාල සෙනරත් යාපා) [Sinhala], 10 November 1935 – 25 August 2024)[1] was a Sri Lankan film director, screenwriter, producer and lyricist.

[5] His Labour division head Asoka Peiris made a play called Kuweni where he acted in small role.

[2] During the work at Radio Ceylon, he met Mahagama Sekara and joined to "Kale Pela" founded by G. D. L.

A relative of Wijaya Dharma Sri called Majestic Mudalali found ten others and made the money to produce the film.

[11] In the same year, he won Silver Peacock Award at the New Delhi Film Festival for his first docudrama Minisa saha Kaputa.

[2] The film Pembara Madhu, which was banned twice and allowed to be re-screened,[12] made a complete naked appearance for the first time Sinhala cinema.

[4] Yapa also made 28 other documentaries for the Government Film Unit including Garunda Gala, Maha Sayuren Diya Dothak, Udawadiya Mal, Sri Maha Bodhin Wahanse and Dalada Wahanse.

[3] From 1977 to 1982 he was the president of Government Film Unit, Welfare Association, Sri Lanka.

[5] In 1982, Yapa was appointed the general secretary of "Janamaddiya Shilpeenge Sangamaya" (Journalists Society).

[citation needed] In 1989 he was appointed the News Director of Rupavahini Corporation where he retired on 17 November 1990.

[15][16] A tribute to his career was made at 4th Agenda 14 Short Film Festival in 2015.