What is "rekava"

Rekava ( Sinhalese language word means "Line of Destiny") is a 1956 film based on village life and their mythical beliefs in Sri Lanka (then Ceylon). It is the first Sinhalese film which was fully shot in Ceylon and was the first in the country to be shot outdoors. It was also the first film which was free from Indian influence. Many Sinhalese films produced in that era were remakes of South Indian films which were not properly adapted to the Sri Lankan context. Even their dialogs were not natural.

It was the first feature-length film by Sri Lankan director Lester James Peries. The film was well received internationally. It was shown at the 1957 Cannes Film Festival and was included in the main competition.
It is still the only Sri Lankan film to be nominated for the Palme d'Or. The cinematography was by Wiliam Blake. Despite much acclaim, the film was not a commercial success in Sri Lanka due to its defiance of the mainstream concept of what a film is (i.e. one of a romance between a girl and a boy, fights, comedy, songs with Hindi tunes). Since that time it has become one of the best known Sinhala movies and is considered as marking the birth of a uniquely Sri Lankan cinema.