Film studios ordered to pay scaffolding bill after 23 years

A film studio was yesterday ordered to pay €35,348 for the rental of scaffolding during a film shot 23 years ago.

Mediterranean Film Studios will have to fork out the money and pay L and D Company Ltd for renting the equipment in 1985 during the filming of The Sun Never Sets even if the film was never completed.

At the time of filming, the studios did not have enough scaffolding to be used in the shooting and the producer, represented by a certain Leon Davis, instructed the studios to rent the equipment.

The studios, however, refused to pay the bill pointing out that it had acted on behalf of the producer.

The scaffoldings supplier initiated court action against Mediterranean Films Studios, arguing that it had negotiated with the studios and was never informed that it would not pay unless a purchase order was issued.

After evaluating the documents produced, Mr Justice Lino Farrugia Sacco found that the rental transaction was made between Mediterranean Film Studios and L and D Attard and ordered the studios to pay the supplier.

The court also ordered the film studios to pay for court expenses and for legal interest incurred on the sum owed to the supplier over the years.