NAAL donates film accessories to NFC

Sarath Malalasekera

The Netherlands Alumni Association of Sri Lanka (NAAL) assisted the Sri Lankan film industry by donating Twelve 35 mm film projectors and accessories to the National Film Corporation, on a request by National Film Corporation's Chairman Asoka Serasinghe.

The Netherlands Alumni Association of Sri Lanka which was founded in 1971, is an association comprising of public sector and private sector personnel who had studied and trained in the Netherlands.

The NAAL coordinates with SOS Velson in the Netherlands by supporting the Galle-Velson Twin City Programme during the last 37 years. During this period, NAAL was able to provide many benefits to the City of Galle as well as other parts of Sri Lanka, worth billions of Sri Lanka rupees, said NAAL President SPC Kumarasinghe.

President Kumarasinghe, accompanied by popular film personality Sanath Gunathilaka, met the National Film Corporation Chairman Asoka Serasinghe and discussed possibilities of organising a Sri Lankan film festival in Velson in the Netherlands.

During the discussions, it was revealed that the National Film Corporation (NFC), in the process of establishing 100 new cinema halls, welcomed any assistance in kind or deed.

When this request was made to the SOS, Velson Board Chairman Klaas van Slooten and Velson White Theatre Director Dirk van Zonderen, immediately offered projectors from the White Theatre and informed the Amstel Film Corporation in the Netherlands to cooperate and collect more 35 mm projectors to be sent to Sri Lanka.

Kumarasinghe said that since all cinema halls in the Netherlands were being converted into DIGITAL screening, they were able to collect and donate 12 nos of 35 mm film projectors and accessories to the National Film Corporation.

At the request of NAAL, the collection, packing and shipping costs upto the Port of Colombo, had been paid by the SOS Velson in the Netherlands. NFC Chairman Asoka Serasinghe had agreed to clear the projectors from the Port of Colombo.

The NFC has identified them to be distributed among the newly built cinema halls under the Cinema Wasanthaya Project, the NAAL President said.