Malta George Cross, a Maltese documentary-drama that started off as a school project two years ago at San Andrea School, l-Imselliet, l/o Zebbiegh, has recently been awarded Best Screenplay at Hollywood's Documentary and Fiction Festival.

The film, directed by Winston Azzopardi, produced locally by Latina Pictures, and presented by the school, deals with the harsh realities of World War II as seen through the eyes of a child who recalls hardships, poverty, friendships and death.

Shot in several period key locations in Malta and intertwined with real wartime footage, Malta George Cross reveals the child's perspective within a historical context and coloured with a human touch. The film seeks to take the audience back to the war years, guided all the way by this child who passionately recalls every single detail.

The late Charles Arrigo was the film's narrator, while Rebecca Cemona, who is now pursuing film studies in America, was the film editor. Toby created the soundtrack and Coryse Borg starred as the main actress together with 80 students from the 2004-2005 Grade 7 class at San Andrea, a co-educational, independent, non-profit-making school run by the Parents Foundation for Education.

The news of the award has sent a ripple of excitement and celebrations among the students involved in the film cast. It is by far the peak of the school project's success story.

When it was launched in 2005, it was just meant to be a fun learning experience for the students. However, the endless positive reactions that the students have received regarding the film from all around the globe over these last two years has turned it into a thrilling experience that the students can hardly believe was real.

Before winning this award, the production had already been short-listed in the European Film Festival held in Malta last March, in Cineclub, as part of the Cinekid Festival held in the Netherlands, last November, and in Isole del Cinema, as part of the Cinemare Film Festival held in Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy, last December.

For a Maltese film to achieve such recognition in highly competitive film festivals also helps to promote a sustainable film industry on our island.

The film has already been shown on Trine Ruud, Norway, Pii Berg, Finland, Omni 1 TV, Canada, and Channel 31, Melbourne Australia.

When the film's DVD was officially launched, press conferences were organised in Malta and in Melbourne, Australia, accompanied by a 30-minute review on SBS (Special Broadcasting Service) Radio Australia. The film was also forwarded for an overview by the crews of the programme Screensaver on Italy's RAI 3 and of the BBC's Blue Peter in the UK.

Locally, the film has been shown at St James Cavalier cinema and at Don Bosco Hall in Gozo.

In May last year, as a follow-up to the project, teaching staff from San Andrea School participated in a MEDIA-funded training course entitled "Global Negotiations - Negotiating Co-Productions", organised by Argovela Films and Ideal Filmworks.

After this experience, the school is already considering how to develop yet another winning formula to be used as an educational tool and a professional good piece of Maltese film-work.

The school wishes to thank Winston Azzopardi, who is considered to be the main ingredient of this success, as well as the teachers and parents for their endless dedication to provide a holistic meaningful education to their children, who are not just mere receptors at the receiving end but actually form an active part in their own learning experience.

Any enquiries, including regarding the purchase of the DVD of the film, should be sent to maltageorgecross@gmail.com