Lobby group set up for film-servicing industry

A lobby group for the film-servicing industry has been set up “with the sole aim of trying to assist the government in streamlining relevant procedures”.

Finance Minister Tonio Fenech, under whose portfolio the industry falls, has been sent a letter informing him of the group and he has accepted a request to meet them.

The announcement comes in the wake of last month’s unexpected resignation of Film Commissioner Luisa Bonello, who occupied the post for the past four years, and her replacement by Anthony Sammut. Her resignation was seen as a great loss to the industry by those who are involved in it.

In its letter, the lobby group said it could serve as a think-tank for the government, as well as a consultant for its policies.

The group said that by handling foreign film productions on a day-to-day basis, it was constantly in touch with the issues that involved government departments and policies and was informed on both the good and bad impressions left on producers, who choose to spend their money in Malta.

The plan is for the group to meet to discuss the issues they are experiencing, together with foreign producers, and to publish a report at least once a year. The first is scheduled for summer.

Members of the lobby group must be “officially credited” as production managers and producers on at least three international feature-length films for TV and cinema and they should be members of an internationally recognised guild.

They should also have a minimum of 12 years of professional involvement in the film industry, or represent a service company that has the same amount of experience with foreign film productions in Malta.

“In the same way that the government and the Malta Film Commission are willing to serve us and the industry, rest assured that we are eager to serve government through our collective ideas and opinions,” the letter to the Minister said.