MaltaMedia.com

The film industry has developed substantially over the past few years, and is now an important contributor to economic growth and job creation in Malta. Over the past four years, Malta hosted 65 productions, including over 26 films or television series, that have generated over €105m in the Maltese economy and creating a number of job opportunities in the process.

Minister of Finance, the Economy and Investment, Tonio Fenech, said this while addressing Film Speak 2012, Malta’s first Film Convention. This Convention was intended to open up dialogue between the industry service providers and the various government agencies in order to streamline the current processes and to therefore improve the quality and efficiency that this sector is able to offer.

Internationally-renowned producers have been choosing Malta and Gozo as their filming destination for a substantial part of the 20th Century. At least 100 feature films in a span of 86 years have been shot in Malta either entirely or partially, with the earliest known film going back as far as 1925 with ‘Sons of the Sea’ directed by H. Bruce Woolfe and most recent ‘World War Z’ directed by Marc Forster.

Minister Fenech added that “All this activity has created significant opportunities not only for a number of operators involved directly in the film servicing industry, but also to different areas of industry that benefit from the presence of such high-value activity on our islands, including hotels, restaurants, transport and logistics companies amongst others. These films have also created numerous of jobs for persons involved in production, costumes, make-up artists, hair stylists, technical personnel, location managers, drivers and extras. Many of these persons have also invested a lot of time and energy in order to specialise in the specific requirements of the industry.”
Minister Fenech added that this is an important year for the film industry in Malta, which will host the European Film Awards.This event is held on the first weekend of every December, with Berlin hosting the ceremony every other year, and a different European city hosting in alternate years. Cities where the awards have been held include London, Paris, Rome, Barcelona, Warsaw, and Copenhagen. It will serve to consolidate Malta’s steadily growing visibility and reputation within the international film industry, and will allow for further recognition both in the build-up to and during the event.

Government has also sought to support our indigenous industry, through the establishment of the Malta Film Fund, which over the past three years have represented an investment of around €700,000 to the development and production of local films and a general improvement of the Maltese audio-visual industry. This weekend, the Malta Film Commission is holding the first of a series of training programmes aimed towards a “hands on approach”. More information on the film industry in Malta is available on www.mfc.com.mt.