Golu Hadawatha was a popular 1968 Sinhalese language romance movie directed by Maestro Lester James Peiris. Wickrama Bogoda and Anula Karunathilaka acted the lead roles of Sugath and Dhammhi. The movie's story is built on the novel Golu Hadawatha written by Karunasena Jayalath in 1962, based on his school time experiences and memories. Regi Siriwardena wrote the screenplay and Veteran Sinhala musician Premasiri Khemadasa composed the music. Golu Hadawatha is acclaimed as a movie that set a milestone in Sinhala moviemaking. It introduced a new cinematic format to the romance and love movie genre. The movie departs from the then traditional movie style; no hero, heroine, no enemy or villain, Joker, no songs, and fights etc. Based on a romantic and emotional attachment between a teenage boy and a girl who study in the same class of their school, Golu Hadawatha is regarded as one of the landmarks in Sri Lankan Cinema.

Sri Lankabhimanya Lester James Peries was a Sri Lankan film director, screenwriter, and film producer. Considered as the father of Sri Lankan cinema, Lester worked as a filmmaker from 1949 to 2006, and was involved in over 28 films, including shorts and documentaries.