NFC’s 25 cinemas earned 804.6 million rupees for the year 2022 – Dr. Gunawardhana

Transport, Highways and Mass Media Minister, Dr. Bandula Gunawardhana said in Parliament yesterday (7) that the National Film Commission Act is expected to be submitted to Parliament soon.

The Minister said this while replying to an oral question by Member of Parliament Uddika Premaratne regarding the steps taken for the future development of the cinema industry.

The Minister of Mass Media who commented further said that the National Film Commission Bill was drafted and submitted to the Cabinet. The Cabinet appointed a committee to re-study the plan, including not only cinema but also television and other media.

However, some parties have opposed the inclusion of television and other media in the Cinema Act. It is expected that the National Film Commission Act will be submitted to the Parliament very soon after receiving the committee’s report on it.

The Minister further said that measures such as discussing with theatre owners regarding the modernization of movie theatres, encouraging investors for the same, encouraging the production of quality films that can be enjoyed by the audience, introducing e-tickets to distribute revenue in a transparent manner, and modernizing the university studio have also been taken.

In reply to the question raised by the parliamentarian that whether it is possible to bring cinema under the Ministry of Industry in the future, the Minister said that the committee appointed for that has decided that it is not possible to bring cinema under the Ministry of Industry.

But various tax concessions given to industries have also been requested to be given to the cinema industry. But he said that the concessions can be given only after the restructuring of the foreign debt is completed.

The Minister said that the number of cinema halls is 71 and out of the 71 cinemas, 25 cinemas belong to the National Film Corporation (NFC) and they have earned 804.6 million rupees for the year 2022.

The Minister also said that voxlight theatres were started in the year 2023. 46 theatres will be operated under 4 other exhibition boards and Movie Production and Importance Private Company, Lanka Films Distribution Company Private Limited, Cinema Entertainment Private Company, E.A.P.

The Minister also said that the Films and Theatres Private Company does not register the income of those theatres in the National Film Corporation and only the number of audiences is included in the register. The Minister also said that in the year 2022, about 2 million viewers have watched movies from those cinema halls.

The Minister stated that a plan has been prepared to increase the amount earned from the film industry in Sri Lanka and the National Film Development Bill will be used for that purpose.

The Minister also said that the Cabinet ordered that not only cinema but also television be included in it and that the plan be submitted again to an expert panel.

The Minister also said that the relevant panel of scholars has informed that they will object to the inclusion of television and other media in the Bill, and that the National Film Development Commission Act will be submitted to the Parliament very soon after the committee report is called.

The post NFC’s 25 cinemas earned 804.6 million rupees for the year 2022 – Dr. Gunawardhana appeared first on DailyNews.