Exploring the film access disparities among young adults in Sri Lanka: Urban (Gampaha) and rural (Badulla) contexts

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.