TV Times

TV Times

NFC battles with Cinecity for increased cinema charges
With the dawn of the New Year, the National Film Corporation had to initiate an investigation to a sudden increase of ticket prices in a cinema in Colombo.

The Film Corporation had received complaints that the ticket prices in the Cinecity multi-complex cinema, Maradana were increased to Rs 200 from April 14 to 25.

Following the complaint a team was sent to investigate why ticket prices were increased without obtaining prior permission from the Film Corporation. Asked about this the Chairman of the NFC, Sunil S. Sirisena said, “This is completely against the Film Corporation Law. No theatre owner can increase the price without due consultation and approval by the Film Corporation. An investigation team was sent as soon as we heard about the increase.”

The Chairman also said that the Cinecity cinema is not paying the entertainment levy stating that it is exempted as it was opened under a BOI project. According to the National Film Corporation Act every theatre is empowered to levy Rs. 3.10 per ticket as entertainment tax.

Answering the allegation of the increase of ticket prices the Chief Executive Officer of the Cinecity, Mr. Buddhi Keerthisena said that his cinema complex was not bound to pay the levy, as it was started under a BOI project and as such the Cinecity comes under BOI regulations.

He said that the cinema was a Rs, 120 million investment. Mr. Keerthisena also said that the NFC has no authority to enforce a ticket price structure covering Cinecity. He said that the price increase was for a limited number of days and that there are other cinemas which charge more than that amount.

Meanwhile Mr. Keerthisena also accused the NFC of its step motherly treatment to Cinecity. Buddhi Keerthisena said that NFC originally agreed to provide Sinhala films but they failed to do so and offered Tamil films which we rejected. Now a misunderstanding has arisen between the NFC and the Cinecity consequent to this.

However Mr. Keerthisena said he was willing to pay the levy which was not paid so far if there is legal grounds and if the BOI instructs him to do so. When questioned about the exorbitant prices in certain cinema’s in Colombo, Mr. Sirisena said these theatres which were rated as “special theatres” claim that they have extra facilities like latest sound systems, air conditioning and they also have to pay various taxes to the municipality. This price increase is a means of overcoming operational overheads.

Questioned about the criteria for ticket price increases, “We don’t just give our approval to any cinema which claims to have these facilities. We send a team to inspect the standards and give approval only when the facilities are satisfactory” said the Chairman, Mr. Sirisena.

“Among the other problems faced by the Corporation are the importation of films that are misleading the patrons.” Recently a film with the suggestive title “In the bedroom” was imported but this was stopped from being screened as it was misleading and even the title was misused to attract the public.

Speaking about the other challenges faced by the NFC the Chairman said, “We are going to completely stop the importation of soft porn movies dubbed in Tamil.”

When questioned about films showing violent scenes, the Chairman said that the Censor Board would give critical attention to scenes depicting violence just as much as the censoring of obscene scenes in films that are imported into the country.

The Corporation intends regulating the standard of films that are imported to the country to suit our cultural socio-economic values.

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