Hip-hop meets għana in the dark new music video for No Bling Show’s Marija s-Sabiħa, which has caused quite a stir on You Tube.
The stylish 19-minute film was released on the video-sharing website last Monday and had been viewed almost 25,000 times as of yesterday.
Made by Take2, the production company behind popular comedy Deċeduti, it tells the story of Marija (played by Victoria Pisani).
“She’s an innocent girl who finds refuge in Toni (Paul Cilia), the gardener at her orphanage and the only person who will give her attention,” explains director Abigail Mallia.
“He seduces her, making her believe he was her ‘personal Jesus’, thus impregnating her. Marija believed she would be giving birth to the son of God,” she continues.
“She is locked away in a mental institution where she finds the key to her past and a ray of tarnished hope at the end.”
The slick, stylish footage filmed on location around the island has garnered lots of praise on You Tube.
“I’m watching this for the fifth time and I’m still getting goosebumps. Fantastic production!” was one of many effusive comments left by users.
The song is based on an old għana (folk) piece, demonstrating the lyrical and distinctly Maltese-style No Bling Show are known for.
Marija s-Sabiha is taken from their second album Car Kristall, which is available as a free download from Complex Sound Sagacity.
“We decided to do the video because we believed in the story,” said Ms Mallia, sister of No Bling Show rapper Jon Mallia, who was abroad yesterday.
The video was shot on a very tight budget with no funding from film or cultural bodies.
“We had to rely on our stamina, passion and the team of people who worked hard with us because they believed in what we were doing,” Ms Mallia said.
This is the second time Take2 and No Bling Show have collaborated on a music video – their first was Lucija and Samwel in 2009.
For Take2, the video was a chance to try out new technology, lighting techniques and different styles of narrative in preparation for a feature film next year for international distribution.
No Bling Show will give their first live performance in three years at the Orpheum in Gżira on April 27.