Local films get funding boost

A total of €184,000 was distributed to eight Maltese film producers yesterday as part of the 2011 Malta Film Fund.

The eight projects include feature films, an animation feature, documentary and other short films.

Finance Minister Tonio Fenech, accompanied by his colleague Culture Minister Mario de Marco, awarded the various beneficiaries their grants.

Over the past three years, the government has invested approximately €700,000 in the Malta Film Fund, Mr Fenech said. He noted that, while it was excellent that Malta continued to attract several international productions, it was also important for the government to back local talent.

The Malta Film Commission will be assisting these eight filmmakers throughout their various production processes. Those who failed to receive funds as part of this year’s allocation will also be helped to present better submissions next year, the minister added.

Ongoing training courses with the Commission have attracted 30 students, with courses in several hands-on production skills, including location management, line production and unit production management due to start soon.

Over the past four years, 65 productions have been shot in Malta, with Mr Fenech saying that they contributed a total of €105 million, as well as numerous jobs, to the domestic economy.

He also announced the imminent filming of Italian mini-series Come Un Delfino, starring heartthrob Raoul Bova, next April.

Filming is due to last six weeks. The series will feature and cite Malta as itself and will appear on Italian channel Canale 5.

Dr de Marco praised the Malta Film Fund for its contribution to Malta’s burgeoning domestic film industry, saying that a growing number of local filmmakers were also participating in foreign film festivals. The fund is part of a series of other fiscal incentives geared towards encouraging the creative industries, the Minister added.