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by Deepal Warnakulasuriya

The National Film Corporation (NFC) is up in arms against producers who had taken loans from the Corporation but had undone so far. NFC Chairman Ashoka Serasinghe revealed that Rs. 2 million had been released by the Corporation for even 'unwritten' scripts during the period 2003/2004.

The NFC Chairman told the Sunday Observer that he would not tolerate misue of public funds by anyone. He said he had already verbally informed some of them to return the money taken from the Corporation on homoured films. According to Serasinghe, money had been released under a project to assist filmmakers.

"But the loopholes in the papers (he says the word agreement cannot be used) had allowed even hair dressers, wives of film producers to obtain this grant", he said.

Serasinghe at a press briefing held in Colombo to reveal the schedule for the year said that the industry was in a financial crisis and a part of their income. "The ten per cent commission for the NFC from screening films had been stopped.

But, the industry does not enjoy the facility of tax exemption.

Under such a situation, some individuals who are in the industry should not misuse its funds", he added.

The Chairman said those who took funds for 'undone' films would be officially informed and the second step would be to take legal action, if they continue to ignore.

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