Few people realise that the thriller “We Need To Talk About Kevin”, named Film of the Year at the 55th BFI London Film Festival last week, was produced by Independent Film Productions Ltd, a subsidiary of Living Capital Group Ltd, a Swedish-owned company based in Malta.
Living Capital is an investment group dedicated to enhancing the value of its ownership of companies in the technology, premium beverages and film sectors.
Stefan Magnusson, chief executive officer of Living Capital and an executive committee member of the Scandinavian Business Forum Malta told The Times Business that the film’s recent triumph in London is a success story for Malta-based Swedish interests.
“The award is very good news for Living Capital Group which is very keen to promote Malta as a prime location for the film industry. Malta’s small size is a plus for film production. Unlike in North Africa, there is stability in Malta, apart from world class water tanks in Rinella,” he said.
Mr Magnusson also remarked that Maltese co-producers may be sought for films produced in Malta by Independent Film Productions Ltd.
He said that Scandinavian Business Forum Malta aims at creating a greater awareness about the huge potential that exists in Malta for Scandinavian businesses.
“Given that there is scant knowledge about Malta in the Scandinavian region our job at Scandinavian Business Forum Malta is to make Scandinavians fully aware of the fact that Malta does have a lot to offer especially in the efficient use of working capital,” he said.
Living Capital Group moved to Malta from Jersey a few years ago soon after Malta joined the European Union which, he says, was the major attraction which triggered their move here.
Mark Fenech, chairman of the Scandinavian Business Forum Malta said that the forum was launched a year ago and has since organised a number of activities. These included meetings with various Scandinavian ambassadors accredited to Malta, the organisation of a visit to Malta by a Swedish high profile business delegation and as well as by Danish and Finnish trade officials, a meeting with consuls for Malta in a number of Scandinavian cities and participation in a half-day conference in Stockholm organised by the Financial Times and Finance Malta on “Financial Services in Malta”.
At the Stockholm conference, Scandinavian Business Forum Malta was represented by both Dr Fenech and Mr Magnusson, the latter having also been selected to sit on a panel at the conference which discussed wealth management in Malta as an emerging regional hub.
“The fact that Scandinavian Business Forum Malta was represented at the Stockholm conference by a Swedish national resident in Malta made all the difference. It is one thing listening to a Maltese national singing Malta’s praises to a Swedish audience, but very much another to have a Swede making a personal testimonial about Malta’s business attractions. The latter was obviously much more effective,” Dr Fenech said.
Scandinavian Business Forum Malta is a business council constituted within the Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry. Dr Fenech told The Times Business that the Forum’s new website will be launched shortly.