Preserving the soul of classic Sri Lankan cinema

Sri Lankan cinema is currently at a critical juncture, and we are faced with the challenge of preserving our films for the future. However, various programmes and projects are underway around the world today to safeguard this cinematic heritage.

- By Nishantha Chaminda Peiris

Participants at the film preservation workshop

We should commend the fact that we have some opportunities at the international level to further strengthen the measures currently taken for the conservation and restoration of our films, and to enhance training opportunities of the conservators.

Accordingly, international efforts taken to preserve our films, restore and protect our cinematic heritage is of utmost importance. In particular, the Film Heritage Foundation of India and the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF) are institutions primarily dedicated to this. At the same time, there has been a recent surge of interest in preserving Sri Lankan films, thanks to the concerted efforts of the French Embassy in India and the French Embassies in Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

Accordingly, over a period of two years, conservation projects were implemented with the aim of protecting this cultural heritage, focusing on providing training in this regard for film restoration, conservation and dissemination. There was also a focus on ensuring that the stories captured in films are preserved for future generations.