Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2021-11-15

Recognition of Cinema as an Industry

- Several outstanding films have been produced in the cinema industry of Sri Lanka and many internationally reputed and talented film makers also have been introduced to the world cinema from Sri Lanka. However, due to not being legally declared the local cinema as an industry, its extent and development have been restricted to the small-scale local market. Also, the local cinema industry is facing immense crises amidst the Covid-19 global pandemic situation. It has been identified that development and promotion of cinema industry can bring about several benefits such as generation of a number of livelihoods, modernization in social, cultural and as well as in economic spheres, and making a contribution to the tourism and education sectors with a considerable contribution to the economy. It has also been observed that, in most of the countries where a developed cinema industry can be found, the development has taken place after the recognition of cinema as an industry by those countries. Accordingly, the joint proposal made by the Hon. Prime Minister in his capacity as the Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs and the Minister of Industries, to register cinema as an industry so as to promote the cinema industry in Sri Lanka and gain international recognition for the same, was approved by the Cabinet.