The National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka (NFC) established links with the Directorate of Cinema of Ministry of Cultural and Tourism of Turkey through a virtual meeting arranged by the Mission. As per the Embassy’s initiative to enhance cultural diplomacy in Turkey and establish links with the Turkish institutions that are actively promoting & engaging cultural and tourism sector with Sri Lankan counterpart organisations, the Mission organised virtual introductory and information sharing session between Director General of the Directorate of Cinema, Ministry of Cultural and Tourism, Turkey Erkin Yilmaz and member of the Board of Directors of the National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka Dammith Fonseka, on 20 May 2021.
Ambassador M. R. Hassen coordinating the meeting expressed that the virtual meeting is significant step to establish links between bureaucrats and stakeholders in the two countries’ film industry and identify potential areas that can be established cooperation to uplift Cinema industry in Sri Lanka.
Mr. Damith Fonseka shared the information on status of the current Sri Lanka film industry and highlighted the areas to collaborate with the Turkish cinema especially to increase capacity of human resources engaged in the Sri Lankan film industry and digital technological capacity of film industry.
Director General of Directorate Cinema Erkin Yilmaz, during his intervention elaborated the developments and capacity of Turkish cinema industry, international film festivals organised in Turkey and expressed his willingness to motivate Directorate of Cinema, Turkey to establish cooperation with the National Film Corporation, Sri Lanka. Mr. Yilmaz and Mr. Dammith Fonseka also exchanged views on setting up a road map to further enhance established contacts by agreeing to facilitate a meeting between film producers, film directors and stakeholders in the cinema industry of Sri Lanka and Turkey virtually very soon.
Second Secretary Gajithra Navan, Public Relation Officer of the Mission Elif Betul, Deputy General Manager of the Nation Film Corporation Madhura Wanigasekara and senior officials of the Directorate of Cinema, Turkey also joined the virtual meeting.
Embassy of Sri Lanka
Ankara
25 May 2021
