Abstract:
Film is a powerful medium for education, social awareness, and cultural expression. Although
access to this cultural source is often unequal, particularly in developing countries such as Sri
Lanka, urban-rural divides create disparities in media consumption. This study investigated
the film access disparities among young adults in two Sri Lankan social contexts: Gampaha
and Badulla districts. Using the mixed-method approach, the gap in film access between these
two social contexts was identified, especially focusing on how educational, socio-economic,
technological, and cultural factors affected film engagement among youth. These disparities
were explored in alignment with Digital Divide Theory, Potter’s Media Literacy Theory, and
Bourdieu’s Cultural Capital Theory. The Chi-Square test was applied to compare variables.
Findings of this research revealed significant urban–rural disparities: urban youth in Gampaha
benefit from greater internet connectivity (59.6% with fast access vs. 17.5% in Badulla) and
more film learning opportunities (66.8% vs. 29.8%), while rural youth face barriers such as
limited movie theatre access (43.9% lack access) and economic limitations (71.9% perceive
cinema attendance as a financial burden). This study proposed integrating film education into
rural youth programs, developing rural cinema infrastructure, and conducting future research to
evaluate the impact of digital media sources on film education. By addressing these gaps, this
research advocates for equitable film access opportunities and film education resources to foster
knowledge shaping and build quality film engagement among Sri Lankan youth.
