A new consultative council has been established with its brief to draft a national film policy that the government wants in force by November.

Tourism Minister Edward Zammit Lewis told a press conference yesterday that twelve organisations will be represented in the council, including Public Broadcasting Services and the Malta Tourism Authority, University of Malta, Malta College of Science, Arts and Technology, the creative industry and the Employment and Trade Corporation.

The council’s brief is to draft a national film policy which will be released for public consultation.

Saying it was aiming towards an “ambitious” November deadline, Dr Zammit Lewis said the policy would focus on attracting more productions to Malta and providing a skilled workforce, among other things.

There is great potential in the sector but there is also great competition abroad, and we want to attract more film productions

The film industry is one that leaves a lot of money but it is also a very demanding one.

“It is important to create a new economic niche that operated all year round, he said.

The film industry injected €5 million in the local economy in 2013, going up to €29 million in 2014.

“There is great potential in the sector but there is also great competition abroad, and we want to attract more film productions,” he said.

When the Labour government took over two years ago, they found a sector that had no clear direction, according to the minister.

Dr Zammit Lewis said the Rinella site was a “strategic asset” but had been left in a run-down state.

“These are fundamental and we won’t let it remain like this,” he said.

Recently, a court judgment decided that the studios must be returned to the Land Department following the failure – since 1998 – of a film management company to pay the government the stipulated annual ground rent of €50,000.