FILM DIRECTOR'S 55 COPIES ISSUE

Artistes against Somaratna Dissanaike on 55 copies issue

     The Sri Lanka Film Director' Guild has made an announcement saying that whoever who releases 55 copies of a film under the present condition in which the Sri Lankan film industry is facing, is unfair, unjustified and not moralistic.

    It is director Somaratna Dissanaike who has taken this decision to release 55 copies of his film Siriperakum for exhibition.

    " According to the announcement of the Directors, the total number of film halls in Sri Lanka is 160 in number and the number of film halls suitable for exhibiting Sinhala films is only 80. When the situation is such, it is not justified to release more than 35 copies by a producer for his film only. By acting otherwise, it most unjustifiably blocks the space or opportunity for exhibition of other films in the waiting-list.

    But now we have been informed that a certain film producer has not taken those points into consideration and is preparing to release 55 copies of his film. Behaving in that manner means that he is acting in a selfish way in not considering the present state in which the film industry is in and is violating the policies of the government", the announcement says.

    Among film artistes who have signed the announcement are, Dr.Dharmasena Pathiraja, Dr.Malini Fonseka, Dr.Sumithra Peiris, Prasanna Withanage, Bennet Ratnayaka, Udayakantha Warnasooriya, Jackson Anthony, Buddhi Keerthisena, Prasanna Jayakody, Jayantha Chandrasiri, Dharmasiri Bandaranaike, Chandran Ratnam, Ashoka Handagama, Vimukthi Jayasundera, Sunil Soma Peiris, Senesh Bandara Dissanaike, Chandraratna Mapitigama, Sarath Dharmasiri and Tissa Liyanasooriya.