Several producers have halted producing negatives, and the local industry is barely surviving because of the limited amount of negatives being produced for preservation and research purposes, said senior film editor Ravindra Guruge.

Indian laboratory Prasad, which prints copies of film using negatives, has closed those facilities.

Cine Lab in Mumbai still prints films produced on negatives, but if any of its dilapidated machinery breaks down, the Sri Lankan film industry will come to a halt, secretary of the film directors forum Anuruddha Jayasinghe said.