Liberty Cinemas Ltd. v. National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka – CA WRIT/0308/2019-2023

In the case between Liberty Cinemas Ltd, Scope Cinemas (Private) Ltd, Skyline Entertainment & Consultancy (Pvt) Ltd, Movie Producers and Importers Co. (Pvt) Ltd, Liberty Lands & Development (Private) Ltd (collectively, the Plaintiffs), and the National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka, its Chairperson, the Minister of Housing Construction & Cultural Affairs, among other government officials (the Defendants), the issue addressed was the legality and enforceability of film distribution policy changes introduced via Cabinet Memoranda and Circulars in contrast to the authority and powers vested under the National Film Corporation Act. It was held that the contractual agreements between the National Film Corporation and private film circuits conflicted with the statutory intent, and the subsequent