Almost 200 Maltese involved in new film production

Work is proceeding at a steady pace at Ricasoli on the set of a €50 million production by young Oscar winning film director Alejandro Amenábar, which is to be partly shot in Malta.

Producer José Luis Escolar showed Investments Minister Austin Gatt around the set this morning, The film has not been given a name yet.

Dr Gatt said 69 Maltese carpenters,116 plasterers and a range of other tradesmen are working on the site.

The shooting on the film ever is expected to start in March and will last 12 weeks. The production has been in preparation since last October and will wrap up in July 2008.

Amenábar won the 2005 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film for ‘The Sea Inside’. This will be his second English-language film following The Others (2001).

Dr Gatt said that Malta was chosen for the locations it offers, with the unique selling point being Fort Ricasoli. The look of the extras available in Malta as well as the financial incentives given by the government were other selling points.