After giving classics like Lester James Peries highly-acclaimed "The Village in the Jungle" and winning several awards at international film festivals, the 57-year-old Sri Lankan film industry seems to be on the verge of collapse.

Sri Lankan director Satayjit Maitipe told IANS: "We have a very small industry and it is shrinking because it is not easy to compete with Hollywood and Bollywood movies. We don't have state support or any other kind of security. Independents filmmakers, like me, are struggling. Nobody wants to invest in the film industry."

Maitipe's directorial debut "Scent of the Lotus Pond", about girls working in a garment factory and their equation with army personnel, is being screened at the ongoing South Asian Film Festival in the capital.

"Hollywood and Bollywood films are part of a global marketing strategy. Sri Lankan cinema, a hotchpotch of Hollywood and Bollywood, cannot match up to the gloss and hi-tech effects of foreign films," said Maitipe.

In Sri Lanka, a small budget film costs $74,508 and a commercial one $280,000. The fact that filmmakers are unable to arrange even this amount is telling of the financial crunch facing the industry.

"I had to wait for over five years to find a producer for my film. I needed $45,636.58. The state film corporation had a grant for films and the chairman, Tissa Abeysekera, a filmmaker, gave us the money," Sudat Devpriya, another filmmaker.

"Abeysekera has funded more than 10 films. In this festival there are three films which have been made with that grant," he said.

Devpriya's first feature film "Udugam Yamaya" is also a part of the festival.

Sri Lankan actors don't make good money either. "There are artists who sacrifice and work for less," said Devipriya.

Many fear that lack of finances, infrastructure and state support will lead to the closure of the industry, which makes a maximum 15 to 16 films a year.

On the difficulties faced by filmmakers Devipriya said, "There are no film institutes in Sri Lanka. We buy DVDs and learn from them."

Indrajith Mahabhaduje, 26, whose "Existence", a film about spirituality, is being showcased at the film fest echoed the same views. "I am planning to join the Pune film institute before doing my next film," he said.

"The infrastructure is bad. We shoot the film in Sri Lanka but process it in Chennai. We have facilities in our country, but they are not up to the mark," said Maitipe.

That the political situation in Sri Lanka is not conducive makes matters worse.

"I am not very optimistic about the state taking measures to improve the situation. I don't think the political elite acknowledges the film industry as an important segment of society.

"Even when it comes to showcasing the Sri Lankan culture they have a problem. Independent filmmakers are seen as a nuisance because they take up controversial issues," said Maitipe.

In the year 2000, the government and a former film corporation chairman joined hands for the makeover of the entertainment industry.

"It didn't work because of politics," said Devipriya.

When asked if the film industry will survive, Devipriya said, "I don't know. As far as I am concerned, I will not make any more films."

--- IANS