Floating cinema //
Film screening in Negombo Lagoon
FLOATING CINEMA is a way to illuminate the land through cinema, engaging the community in a shared cultural and artistic experience. This year, we began by screening films on the beach, a place that holds special meaning for the community.
FLOATING CINEMA NEGOMBO is a festival project in Sri Lanka by Kaiya Collective that seeks to transform traditional cinematic offerings into a dynamic, multidisciplinary platform that fosters social and cultural engagement. The festival will be a cultural incubator where various artistic practices intersect, creating opportunities for community regeneration and social change. Through this project, we aim to promote the use of audiovisual media to raise awareness on human rights issues, with a particular focus on women, children, and youth in the rural areas of Negombo. Negombo, a lagoon city on the eastern coast of Sri Lanka, has an economy based on fishing. The city is home to a unique social and natural ecosystem, where the local fishing community has built their homes along the lagoon, intertwining their lives with the water. The majestic presence of the sea and the lagoon creates a vibrant landscape, where nature and daily life exist in a dynamic balance. Moreover, it is a region characterized by significant emigration, both legal and illegal, often carried out by sea using fishing boats.
Next step
As a Collective, over the years we have activated different artistic practices. Now our objective is to take the next step in evolving this experience into a broader, more conscious action. While continuing with screenings, we will incorporate multidisciplinary elements, with cinema at the center, surrounded by workshops, performances, and collective reflection. Our goal is to transform the “screening” into a "device" or "medium" that organically connects these cultural actions and fosters a long-lasting impact. We envision a large floating raft with an overhead screen, movable across the lagoon, transforming into a mobile cinema that interacts with its environment. The raft’s construction will be a collective process involving young local artisans, blending traditional techniques with innovative approaches. This flexible, lightweight structure will adapt to different locations and community needs, acting both as an architectural reflection and as a cultural tool. FLOATING CINEMA NEGOMBO will not be just an event but a catalyst for connection, imagination, and new energy within the community. Through small, shared gestures and concrete actions, we aim to spark transformation processes that place people, spaces, and their stories at the center. The project will feature a curated selection of local and international films addressing themes such as human rights, nature and social transformations complemented by workshops, performances, and discussions with filmmakers to encourage reflection, dialogue, and critical thinking.
