” Our aim is to celebrate independent cinema in the peninsula, which is recovering from the destruction caused by a 30-year-old armed conflict and war. We believe in using art to reach people and we hope this festival would create a space for communities across borders to interact with each other through cinema. “

“Jaffna is one of the major epicentres of Tamil culture with its own beauty and complexity. An International Film festival in Jaffna is long overdue and this is the beginning of a new and innovative film culture for Tamils all over the world.”
Dr. Cheran Rudramoorthy

University of Windsor, Canada

some Comments

JafFna International Cinema Festival

“It is noted that there are new signs of eagerness among the young generation of the North and the East in filmmaking as well as acquiring the needed knowledge and technology. At this juncture, I strongly believe that Jaffna International Cinema Festival will pave the way in getting wider exposure and create an environment to appreciate the innovative attempts in the arena of filmmaking in the North and the East.”

Dr. S. Raguram

University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka

“It makes way for young filmmakers in Jaffna to see various good films that were produced both locally and abroad and in other languages. Seeing such films from different backgrounds and talents, helps them to compare their own works with it, and by doing so learn through the experience. In the time when the passion for film-making is growing with productions of short films etc, this festival will help the filmmakers to create films that influenced by good cinema.”

M. Mauran

Film Critic

“At present when the world is broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls, and reason has lost its way into the desert sand as dead habits, wonderful ventures such as international film festivals would led us into ever-widening through and action and freedom.”

Dr. M. Shanmugalingam

Playwright and Dramatist, Jaffna

“The birds from different testimonies and sits together once and make differences and take us in alternative paths; invite you to celebrate the international cinema in Jaffna.”

Packiyanathan Ahilan

University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka

“I am confident that the Jaffna International Cinema Festival will not only broaden our horizons but also inspire our imagination by exposing us to the world cinema.”

Lenin M. Sivam

Filmmaker - Canada

“I believe that having an International Cinema Festival in Jaffna is a very good idea. It will give a great opportunity for the society to see and experience local and international films that are different from mainstream commercial films, as well as for the international community and Sri Lankans from rest of the country to visit and experience Jaffna. When I was growing up in Jaffna, in the mid to late 1980s, we used to be starved for such opportunities and exposure. I am happy now such opportunities are being created there.”

Dr. Pavithra Kailasapathy

University of Colombo, Sri Lanka