French film festival suspended

The French Film Festival organised by the French Embassy and the Alliance Francaise de Kotte at the BMICH has been suspended by the Board of Management of the Bandaranaike National Memorial Foundation with immediate effect on account of the contents of and the sentiments contained in the Sinhala film, "Igilena Maluwo (Flying Fish) which however was certified as suitable for screening by the Public Performance Board, and screened on the 11th July 2013 in the Committee Room B of the BMICH.

The Board of Management apologizes to the general public and the heroic armed forces of Sri Lanka who liberated our people from the murderous scourge of terrorism for permitting such a film to be screened in their premises. They did so entirely on the basis of the certification for screening awarded to this film by the Public Performance Board. They also assumed that foreign organizers of such events will always respect and honour the social, historical and cultural sensitivities of the people of the host country.