This 34-minute documentary by filmmaker Sulochana Pieris explores St. Anthony's Shrine in Kochchikade, one of Colombo's most enduring spaces of worship and coexistence. Tracing its history from colonial times to the present, the film captures how people of many faiths - Catholic, Hindu, Buddhist, and Muslim - visit the shrine to pray, light candles, and seek blessings from St. Anthony, revered across religious lines.

Through personal stories, rituals, and conversations with devotees, the documentary reveals how the shrine functions as a sanctuary of shared faith and belonging in an often-divided city. It also reflects on the resilience of the community and the site itself in the aftermath of the 2019 Easter Sunday bomb attack, showing how worshippers from all backgrounds returned to restore and reclaim the shrine as a space of hope. Ultimately, the film offers a deeply human portrait of faith, healing, and everyday coexistence in one of Sri Lanka's most sacred urban spaces.

Sulochana Pieris is a documentary filmmaker, researcher, and writer with over two decades of experience working in Sri Lanka and the wider South and Southeast Asian region. Her work often explores intersections of faith, culture, and everyday life.

Registration