Lotfi AbdelliLotfi Abdelli

Simshar
Director: Rebecca Cremona
Starring: Lotfi Abdelli, Jimi Busuttil, Adrian Farrugia, Sékouba Doucouré, Clare Agius
130 mins; Class 12

What initially catches the eye as the opening scenes of Simshar unfold are the typically Maltese colours that permeate the screen: the cerulean Mediterranean Sea, the warm yellow limestone and the colourful fishing boats with the ubiquitous church bells tolling in the distance.

Yet, director Rebecca Cremona has not merely captured the colours of Maltese village life, but also its essence and its mores. There are the ties that bring together the family, the importance of community (and the festa, of course) and the fear of the unknown. All these are elements integral to the screenplay (written by Cremona and David Grech) inspired by the Simshar tragedy.

It was an event that captivated the nation and dominated the news for weeks in the summer of 2008 until it reached its terrible conclusion and, in the film, Cremona focuses on the human element of the drama, especially the fight for survival.

Simshar certainly lives up to the hype

We all know the nub of the story. Marsaxlokk fisherman Simon (Lotfi Abdelli) sets out on a fishing trip on his boat, the Simshar, with his father Karmenu (Jimi Busuttil), son Theo (Adrian Farrugia) and worker Moussa (Sékouba Decouré).

A fire on board destroys the boat and the survivors cling onto a makeshift raft in open water, awaiting rescue. Back home, Simon’s wife Sharin (Clare Agius) and younger son Aidan (Kurt Zammit) remain oblivious to the fate of the family, until days pass without a word and concern sets in.

Cremona has also created a parallel and topical storyline about a Turkish merchant ship, the Leca, whose captain rescues a boatload of immigrants between the waters of Malta and Lampedusa, only to be caught in the bureau-cratic crossfire of the Maltese and Italian authorities.

A young doctor, Alex (Mark Mifsud), and his soldier friend John (Chrysander Agius), who work at a migrants detention centre, board the Leca, both reluctantly becoming involved in the issue.

It is very common for films to feature fact-based stories whose outcome is known. The challenge is to keep the audience gripped throughout the journey, and Simshar succeeds entirely. It vividly and sensitively brings to life that fateful story, while circumventing the mystery that still surrounds it (hinting at it with a line or two, which may seem a bit incongruous to an overseas audience unfamiliar with the incident).

Cremona’s and Grech’s script allows the tragedy to unfold in an understated way, with a sound story and authentic characters. Kudos to Cremona for eschewing dramatics for candid emotion throughout; aided by the heartfelt, but restrained, performances she has coaxed from her actors, led by Tunisian actor Abdelli and Agius.

Nitpickers may gripe at Abdelli’s strongly-accented Maltese. But truth be told, his soulful and stoic performance is so moving, his interaction with his co-stars so thoroughly believable that it is never an issue.

As we cut back and forth to the raft, and the long days bleed into night against a backdrop of eerie and unbearable quasi-silence, your heart begins to crack as Simon struggles to survive when rescue seems impossible and a tangible despair sets in.

If Abdelli is the soul of the film, Claire Agius is its heart. Her commitment to the role is absolute and she hits all the right notes, be they in the playful moments Sharin shares with her sons, while going about her everyday chores, and the growing worry that that segues into poignant anguish. She is always natural, never histrionic.

Of the three strands that make up the story, the Leca-based one is the weakest, narratively. While there is a strong dynamic between Mifsud and Agius, making their friendship genuine, Alex’s initial reluctance to get involved, his latent prejudices and eventual change of heart feel a little forced.

This storyline, however, does succeed in capturing the frustrations of the authorities while giving a face to these all-too-often faceless tragic incidents. This is also thanks to the emotional heft given by Laura Kpegli as Makeda, a migrant who challenges Alex’s way of thinking.

Pierre Stafrace as Simon’s brother Pawlu provides Sharin with a strong shoulder as he begins to coordinate the search for the missing family. Adrian Farrugia makes an excellent debut as Theo; Jimi Busuttil is a twinkly-eyed and wise Karmenu and, while Decouré may have little dialogue as the taciturn Moussa, his eyes speak volumes.

Of Cremona’s industrious and indefatigable crew, special mentions go to cinematographer Chris Freilich and production designers Nina Gerada and Jonathan Hagos for creating the look of the film, and Ruben Zahra for his haunting score.

Simshar certainly lives up to the hype. It has been on the horizon for years, finally sailing into cinemas and eagerly anticipated by the Maltese public. Cremona has delivered something that has been well worth the wait, resulting in a motion picture that is a worthy ambassador for Malta’s film industry.

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