Ranminitenna tele-cinema park opens on Tuesday

by Ananda Kannangara

Sri Lankan cinema and teledrama fans are in for a treat with the opportunity soon to view quality local films and teledramas that will be produced at the country’s first tele-cinema park, the Mahinda Rajapaksa National Tele-Cinema Park at Ranminitenna in the Southern Province which will open on March 30.

The mega tele-cinema park which has been constructed on a picturesque 235 acre land between Tissamaharama and Kataragama will be ceremonially opened by President Mahinda Rajapaksa with the participation of Cabinet Ministers, former parliamentarians and persons attached to the cinema and teledrama industry. The first stage of the park, constructed at a cost of Rs. 600 million, will be opened on this day for cinema directors, producers, artistes, film actors and actresses and others involved in the local film industry.

Commenting on this mega project, Mass Media and Information Ministry Secretary, W.B. Ganegala told the Sunday Observer that a tele-cinema park for Sri Lanka is a long-felt need, considering the large number of persons in the country involved in the industry.

He said tele-cinema parks are not a new concept and are seen in other countries such as India, Pakistan, UK, USA, Japan and Malaysia and many other countries in Europe.

He said the second stage of the park is scheduled for completion before the end of 2012.

The park has a number of facilities, such as a studio with a giant screen to view films and teledramas, a stage for film shootings, buildings for various other purposes, high-tech facilities for film editing, restaurants, `Kadaveedi’, a trade complex, hospital, schools and urban buildings for the use of cinema directors and producers when producing films and teledramas. The tele-cinema park also provides lodging facilities for over 100 film and teledrama crew. There are 10 Villa type twin houses to accommodate 20 persons.

Ganegala said the tele-cinema park will play a prominent role in developing the talent and skills in cinematography of present and future generations of artistes.

“While providing an ultra-modern hall, lecture hall, library, and practical training facilities, the park will also organise lectures and workshops, to be conducted by veterans in the field.

He said film directors could also access the Yala National Park and Kumana Bird Sanctuary, the salterns, new airport and harbour premises in Hambantota, the Nuwara Eliya and Bandarawela areas, thick jungles and lakes which are located in proximity to the tele-cinema park for their films and teledramas. Ganegala said the facilities of this tele-cinema park could also be used by foreign personalities who are interested in shooting their films in Sri Lanka.

Speaking on the levy imposed by the Government on imported teledramas, Ganegala said the step was taken with the objective of encouraging television channels to show more local movies which would help local artistes. He said the construction of the Ranminitenna cinema city was carried out with the revenue made through the collection of such taxes.